Shepherd's goal lifts HU past Saint Francis 1-0

HUNTINGTON, Ind.  – Freshman Sophie Shepherd blistered a ball from the left side of the box that curled in far post upper 90 in the second half to lift the Forester women's soccer past Saint Francis 1-0 Saturday afternoon at King Stadium.

Shepherd's goal, which came in the 59th minute, is the fifth of her young career and her third game-winner. The Foresters maximized their offensive opportunities as they managed just five shots to USF's ten.

HU dodged several bullets in the first half by coming up with some big stops at the defensive end to hold their guests scoreless through an opening half that saw USF fire off seven shots. Ireland Aerni and crew allowed just three shots in the final 45 minutes on the way to the win.

It's Huntington's seventh time to blank an opponent this fall with Aerni earning the shutout in frame. The junior keeper finished with seven saves and also assisted Shepherd's goal, the first dime of her collegiate career.  

HU has racked up five straight home wins against the Cougars, a streak that dates back to 2017. The Foresters are now 6-4-1 overall which includes a 2-1 league record. With six regular season matches remaining, Lewis and crew need one more W to match their win total from the previous two seasons combined.

The Huntington University Foresters compete in 18 intercollegiate sports for men and women. In the past decade, Huntington has produced 154 NAIA All-America honors and 501 All-America Scholar Athlete honors. Huntington University is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. U.S. News & World Report ranks Huntington among the best colleges in the Midwest.