PLAINVIEW, TEXAS – Led by four scholar-athletes with two-or-more shot attempts, McMurry University quickly rebounded into the win column Tuesday, Sept. 19.
 
Head coach Charles Nobles' War Hawks broke up a 1-1 tie with their hosts from Wayland Baptist University with a pair of goals in less than a 15-minute span of the second half at J.V. Hilliard Field. Junior forward Emily Holland (Mansfield, Texas), already off to a sparkling start in 2023, kept her remarkable offensive roll going with her first career hat trick, including the game-decider at 60:59 and an insurance strike at 71:52 to wrap up a 3-1 Maroon and White victory.
 
Holland's six-total shot, four-shots on goal, three-goal night put her into a tie for the second most scores over 90 minutes in McMurry history. Freshman midfielder Madison Black (Granbury, Texas), junior defender Haylie Blakley (Allen, Texas), and junior midfielder/forward Jae Portillo (Grand Prairie, Texas) each tallied two shot tries to add to the visitors' 14-6 advantage.
 
All of that firepower was more than enough for the defense and underclasswoman goalkeeping combination of sophomore Lauren Marlow (Flower Mound, Texas) and freshman Avery Anders (Abilene, Texas) to keep the Pioneers at bay. Anders and Marlow combined for three saves over the 90 minutes with Marlow taking the victory.
 
Nobles' crew moved to 6-1 with the win. They return to their home pitch at Wilford Moore Stadium Friday, Sept. 22. Centenary College of Louisiana comes to Abilene for a 7 p.m. kickoff.