BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C.— The Montreat women's soccer team continued its strong run of form Wednesday night as the Cavaliers utilized a 4-0 win over the Columbia College (S.C.) Koalas to improve to 7-4-0 overall and 7-2-0 in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) action. With the triumph, the Cavs now have wins in seven of their last eight matches played.
 
Picking up where she left off on Saturday, JJ Aalbue, the reigning AAC Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week, put the hosts in front just 6:47 into the match. On a free kick from roughly 23 yards out, Aalbue ripped a rocket over the Koala goalkeeper and underneath the crossbar for her eighth goal of the season and a quick 1-0 edge.
 
Columbia (5-5-2, 3-5-1 AAC) created a dangerous chance 99 seconds after Aalbue's goal, but Logan White stood tall in net and made a clutch save against a free-running attacker. White ended the frame with a pair of saves to hold the Koalas scoreless through 45 minutes.
 
Olivia Ostwalt nearly doubled the Cavaliers' lead in the 16^th minute; however, her shot narrowly missed the net as it struck off the left post and bounced away from goal.
 
Montreat dominated possession throughout the initial half, but it couldn't add on to its lead prior to the halftime break. After 45 minutes, the Cavs owned slim advantages in shots (6-4) and shots on goal (3-2), while both teams took a pair of corner kicks.
 
In the second half, the Cavaliers converted their ample possession into a trio of goals. Merely 5:26 into the frame, Kylie Ridings slid a pass Olivia Ostwalt in the left corner. Ostwalt then immediately whipped a cross toward the far post, where Sofia Brotherton leapt and volleyed a right-footed blast into the netting for a 2-0 lead.
 
Jamie White pinballed off a pair of Columbia defenders in the 69^th minute but managed to maintain her dribble. The Frostproof, Fla. native settled her possession and guided a pass to Aalbue, who fired a shot across goal to expand Montreat's lead out to 3-0. Six minutes later, Charlotte Craver tacked on her fourth goal of the season and the fourth and final goal of the match as she finished off a spilled cross from eight yards out. With Craver's tally, the Cavs captured a 4-0 victory and handed the Koalas their largest defeat of the year.
 
"Things are getting fun," said head coach Kristin Eggert. "We are playing at a high level, we're dangerous in the attack and we're shutting things down defensively."
 
Behind a heavily one-sided second half, the Cavaliers concluded the evening with a 15-5 edge in shots and a 7-3 advantage in shots on goal. Montreat attempted one more corner (3-2) than the visitors, and Logan White ended the match with three saves.
 
The Montreat women's soccer team finishes up its 3-match homestand on Saturday as it celebrates senior day with a matchup against the Milligan University Buffaloes. Kickoff is slated for 7:15 p.m. at Pulliam Stadium in Black Mountain, N.C.