Chelsea Waterman puts a header through the net for the Riders on Monday night. (Staff Photo/Brian Smith)

By BRIAN SMITH
Sports Editor

The St. Marys girls soccer team bottled up Defiance’s best scoring threat and went about its usual business on offense, scoring six first half goals en route to a 7-0 win over the Bulldogs in Western Buckeye League action on Monday.

The Bulldogs (2-2-2, 0-2-1 in WBL) have depended on senior Mikaela Tolbert all season for offensive production.

“I knew that (Mikaela) Tolbert was having a nice season,” St. Marys coach Paul Dingledine said. “Brittany Lauth was on her and was marking her up very well. We got her to the point where she was frustrated. When you do that, players push. So I was happy with the way we marked up on her.”

Meanwhile the Rider offense kept doing what it does well — scoring at will.

Sara Wolfe opened the game’s scoring with 36:04 left in the first period with a goal to make it 1-0.

Less than three minutes later, Samantha Davenport made it 2-0 at the 33:10 mark.

Chelsea Waterman scored the first of her two goals on the night at the 29:54 mark with a header into the net to make it 3-0 St. Marys.

At the 11:53 mark, Megan Schlater powered a penalty kick past Defiance keeper April Robarge for a 4-0 Rider advantage.

Waterman added a goal off a ricochet at the 8:21 mark to make it 5-0.

Alysia Nagel wrapped up the first half scoring with a goal at the 3:36 mark.

Wolfe added a second goal of the game early in the second period to wrap up the scoring.

“The way we set up our passing tonight really set up alleys that we came through,” Dingledine said. “We built it up and were possessing. We didn’t score a lot in the second half, but we possessed and didn’t give them the opportunities to score.”

The Roughriders scored 73 goals during last year’s regular season. Through just six games the Riders have amassed 43 goals.

St. Marys travels to Wapakoneta on Thursday for a WBL match in a busy week.

“We have one tonight and turn around on Thursday we have another,” Dingledine said. “Then on Tuesday we play O-G. Plus we have a non-league game on Saturday. Being a veteran team helps a lot. We’re in great shape. We’re wearing other teams down.”

St. Marys was without senior Katie Heitkamp in the line-up and Dingledine said he had players step up in the meanwhile.

“It was Samantha Davenport’s turn to shine.,” Dingledine said. “Right from the start she stepped up. Chelsea Waterman had a couple of really nice goals, too.”