Lynchburg, Va-- The University of Lynchburg women's soccer team defeated the Spirits of Salem, 6-1, Sunday afternoon in a non-conference matchup. It was the Lynchburg women's soccer program's 500th win, making the Hornets one of just a handful of programs to reach that milestone.

Senior forward Hannah Olds (Wilmington, N.C.) led the Hornets with three goals, her second-career hat trick.

Senior forward Caitlin Mertens (Succasunna, N.J.) also racked up two goals. Mertens leads the ODAC with 20 goals and 45 points; she became the sixth player in Lynchburg women's soccer history to score 20 goals in a season, and her 54 career goals put her in a tie for sixth in program lore.

THE RUNDOWN

Final: Lynchburg 6, Salem 1

Records: Lynchburg 12-2-1, Salem 6-10

Venue: Shellenberger Field, University of Lynchburg, Lynchburg, Va.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Mertens got Lynchburg on the board with an assist by senior midfielder Kennedy Jakubek (Leesburg, Va.) in the 13th minute.

• Lynchburg scored again in the 20th minute when Hannah Olds capitalized on a nice pass from freshman midfielder Taylor Smith (Chesapeake, Va.). The Hornets would take that lead into halftime.

• The Hornets moved to a 3-0 lead after Mertens took a feed from Smith and dribbled the ball past the keeper for her second goal in the 65th minute.

• Salem's Alyssa Denkovich notched a shot right over the goalie in the net, but Lynchburg quickly responded with back-to-back goals by Olds in the 76th and 77th minutes. Junior forward Alyssa Rudy (Greencastle, Pa.) assisted the latter.

• Junior midfielder Taylor Stevens (Clayton, N.C.) finished out the second half with an unassisted goal in the 84th minute and brought the Hornets to a final 6-1 victory.

LOOKING AHEAD

Lynchburg will get ready to face the Washington and Lee Generals on Shellenberger Field Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 5 p.m. to kick off Homecoming week. This will be a CODE RED match.

--LYN--