MOUNT VERNON, Ohio (9-4-2012) - The Mount Vernon Nazarene University women's soccer team scored nine first-half goals on the way to a 9-0 non-conference victory over Ohio Christian University on Tuesday afternoon in the home opener at Cougar Field.

The Lady Cougars (2-2) needed less than two minutes to get on the scoreboard when freshman Lydia Simpson ripped a shot from the top of the box into the back of the net at the 1:46 mark to put MVNU in front 1-0.

Less than 30 seconds later, junior Sara Lipstraw set up senior Jessica Linger perfectly with a cross in front of the box that led to Linger's first goal of the year and a 2-0 lead for the Lady Cougars.

The lead grew to 3-0 in the fifth minute when junior Amy Weaver dribbled through the defense and scored her first goal of the season.

Lipstraw got into the scoring action herself in the 13th minute when she took a pass from freshman Morgan Gumm buried a shot inside the far post for a 4-0 advantage.

Senior Stacy Culbertson registered a goal in the 23rd minute when sophomore Dayna Setzler dropped a corner kick back to her and her long shot got past Ohio Christian goalie Taylor Shiray to extend the lead to 5-0.

Culbertson also set up the next goal in the 29th minute when her shot from 30 yards out was inadvertently headed into the goal by one of the Lady Trailblazers trying to clear it as it resulted in an own goal and a 6-0 advantage.

Setzler and sophomore Morgan Baldwin each scored an unassisted goal in the 32nd and 37th minutes respectively to increase the lead to 8-0, and freshman Kristen Davis added her first career goal in the 43rd minute off an assist from Culbertson as the Lady Cougars took a 9-0 lead to half.

That would prove to be all the scoring in the match as each team took just three shots in the second half as MVNU rested its starters and allowed the rest of the team to get valuable playing time. The Lady Cougars finished the match with a 23-3 margin in total shots, a 14-1 lead in shots on goal, and a 6-1 edge in corner kicks. Sophomore Eleni Miller and junior Lindsey Blue combined to post the team's second shutout of the year with Blue registering the only save. Meanwhile, Shiray posted five saves for Ohio Christian (0-1).

"I was pleased with how our girls came out right out of the chute with a lot of intensity," said MVNU coach Daniel Seiffert. "I was really pleased with the way that we moved the ball and we got a lot of people involved which was really exciting. We have a short turnaround time as we prepare for our next match as we are in this stretch where we play five matches in nine days. We continue to try to honor God in all that we do."

The Lady Cougars will be at home again on Thursday when MVNU will host Cincinnati Christian University in another non-conference match that will kick off at 5 p.m.