Box Score
FORT WORTH, TX:  The Texas Wesleyan University women's soccer team (7-1-2) took a convincing 7-0 win over Howard Payne University (2-10) at Martin Field on Tuesday.
 
Things got interesting early.  Just over six minutes into the contest Paige Wheaton was shown a yellow card.  Three minutes later, Alexi Ellsworth and an HPU defender collided with Yellowjacket goalkeeper Shelby Spaulding.  Ellsworth was tagged with a red card, and the Rams played the next 80:27 shorthanded.
 
Being a man down did not slow the offense.  Kaitlin Bush got the scoring started with a goal just seconds after the red card.  In the 18th minute Bush found Staci Popejoy for a score.  Alexis Michaelkovich made it 3-0 off an assist from Leah Valtman in the 34th minute.
 
The Lady Rams picked up right where they left off in the second half.  In the 47th minute, Zamora Bell found herself one on one with the goalkeeper and hit the net to make it 4-0.  Sabina Obidinski played a corner kick into Michaelkovich in the 58th minute.  Michaelkovich then assisted Wheaton in the 64th minute, and Brianna Wilson capped the scoring at 7-0 with a strike in the 89th minute.
 
For the game, the Rams outshot the Yellowjackets 29-12, including 17-5 on target.  Spaulding and Kelsie Piland combined to make 10 saves for Howard Payne.  Hope Smith (1-0) made five saves in her first career shutout.
 
"I was very pleased overall with the effort," commented head coach Josh Gibbs.  "We were able to start some young players and got a lot of contributions from everyone.  I thought we were dangerous throughout, and I'm happy for Hope and her first win and first shutout.  Now we get prepared for Southwestern Christian on Saturday."
 
The Lady Rams will return to action on Saturday, when they host Southwestern Christian University.  That game is scheduled for a 5:00 p.m. start at Martin Field.  The Lady Rams are asking fans to wear pink in support of breast cancer research.