Lynchburg, Va. -- University of Lynchburg Field Hockey junior forward Olivia Van Metre scored a career-high two goals and the Hornet defense forced its third-consecutive shutout in a 4-0 victory over Stevenson on Shellenberger Field Wednesday afternoon.
It was the fifth shutout of the 2023 season for the 17th-ranked Hornets and the fourth attributed to senior goalkeeper Kayla Brady as she collected the 14th blank sheet of her career.
Freshman midfielder Renee Van Thiel started the scoring in the first quarter, finding the back of the cage for the first goal of her career in her second career start.
The unassisted tally was the only of the first half, though Lynchburg took an 8-2 shot advantage into the break.
Stevenson's best opportunity to score in the first half came on a first quarter penalty corner, though the Lynchburg defense stood strong.
Lynchburg was also afforded a corner in the second, its lone opportunity at a set piece on the evening just one game after turning a season-high 12 penalty corners and one penalty stroke into four goals Sunday against Centre.
The Mustangs tested the speed and athleticism of the Lynchburg defense throughout the first half, getting out in transition on a number of occasions, but Brady saved the only shot placed on frame in the first half.
Lynchburg doubled its lead five minutes into the second half on the first of a pair of Van Metre goals, as the junior forward corralled a hard-hit pass from Aaryn Boatwright to find the back of the cage.
The helper was the third assist of the season for Boatwright and the 10th of her career.
With the score, Van Metre became the 15th different Lynchburg player to score during the team's six-game win streak.
The Stevenson defense, who entered the day having given up just six goals on the season and held a 0.75 goal against average, stood tall against the Lynchburg attack for the remainder of the third period, sending the two teams into the fourth at a 2-0 score.
The first action of the final period came on a Marlou Wendriks goal five minutes into the frame, adding to the sophomore forward's team-high eight goals on the season.
The reigning ODAC player of the week extended her offensive streak to six straight games with a goal and the score was the 25th of her career.
Van Metre wrapped up the scoring with her team-high second goal of the day off of a Meike Ottjes assist to bring the score to its final of 4-0.
Brady made one more save on as many shots faced in the second half to bring her season save total to 25, lowering her career-best goal against average to 0.75 on the year and propelling her season's save percentage over 80%.
Lynchburg outshot its opponent for the fifth-consecutive game, taking 15 attempts to Stevenson's four.
The Hornets' three straight shutouts are the most since the 2021 spring season and the team's five shutouts through its first nine games are the most since the 2012 campaign. The Lynchburg defense has forced 13-straight scoreless quarters.
Lynchburg has outscored its opponents by a combined score of 23-2 over its six-game win streak and has not trailed in any of its eight victories on the year.
The Hornets (8-1, 1-0 ODAC) will return to conference play when they travel to No. 19 Shenandoah Saturday, September 30 at 1 p.m. for the first true road game since September 3 at Dickinson.
Lynchburg will play seven of its final 10 regular season games away from Shellenberger field.
The contest will be the conference opener for Shenandoah and will serve as a rematch of the 2022 ODAC tournament semifinal game. It will be the second ranked matchup of the season for Lynchburg.
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