No. 6 Women's Soccer Defeats William Woods at Home

Marshall, Mo., (Sept. 23, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College men's and women's soccer teams hosted William Woods (Mo.) in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader Tuesday evening inside Volney C. Ashford Stadium.  The No. 6 women's team built up a first half lead, and earned a 5-1 win.  The No. 25 men's team used a second half goal to secure a 1-1 tie.

Missouri Valley held the better of possession to start the women's game.  The first shot on goal came nearly 10-minutes into play, when the attempt by Senior Forward Marlene Flores (Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia) was saved.  Less than eight minutes later, the Vikings built up another quality chance, as the attempt from Sophomore Midfielder Fabiana Vasquez (Isla Margarita, Venezuela) was also kept out of goal by the William Woods keeper.  Missouri Valley gained possession just outside the WWU box near the 21-minute mark, and Senior Midfielder Carla Carmona (Barcelona, Spain) sent a pass towards Senior Forward Ashley Arribas (Lake Forest, Calif.).  Arribas put the shot just inside the far post from 12-yards out and scored to put MVC on top, 1-0.  The Vikings continued to hold the majority of possession, and eventually created another opportunity.  Senior Defender Daijah White (Tucson, Ariz.) sent a cross into the Owl box, and a William Woods defender deflected the pass, resulting in an own-goal to extend the advantage to 2-0 with 27-minutes played in the half.  Missouri Valley had more chances on goal in the final stretch of play in the half, as Senior Defender Zoe Christofaro (Tucson, Ariz.) had two shots saved, and Flores also had an attempt saved by the WWU keeper.  Senior Defender Ana Rendon (Medellin, Colombia) put a shot off the crossbar with less than five minutes remaining, but the Viking were unable to extend their lead.  Missouri Valley went into halftime in front, 2-0.

Play in the second half started with MVC pressuring early.  Sophomore Defender Lucia Torres Vizcaino (Malaga, Spain) had a shot saved with two minutes played after the restart for the first chance of the half.  Just over one minute later, Flores put a shot on goal, which was saved, but the rebound fell to White, who scored on an open goal to make it a 3-0 lead.  A little more than one minute later, Flores made it a 4-0 score with a goal coming off assists from Carmona and Senior Defender Marta Carrasco Mesa (Sevilla, Spain).  The advantage grew again, near the 57-minute mark, as Christofaro added a goal, coming off assists from Carmona and Arribas, to make it 5-0.  Flores nearly added another goal less than two minutes later, putting a shot off the crossbar.  William Woods eventually came back with its first shot on goal, with 18-minutes to play in the contest, but Senior Goalkeeper Marina Barbara Bujalance (Cornella Llobregat, Spain) made the save.  Sophomore Goalkeeper Sydnee Wharton (Peoria, Ill.) made one save near the 82-minute mark, and the Owls had one more chance to get on the scoreboard in the final moments.  A foul outside the MVC box resulted in a free kick, and the attempt was sent into goal from 25 yards out to close the game.  The Vikings finished with a 5-1 victory.

Both Flores and Arribas totaled one goal and one assist apiece.  Flores has four goals and two assists on the season, while Arribas now has two goals and two assists.  Christofaro scored her third goal, and White added her second goal.  Carmona registered her first three assists of the season, and Carrasco Mesa now has four assists.  Both Barbara Bujalance and Wharton made one save in goal each.  Missouri Valley held a 26-3 advantage in shots and created three corner kicks.

Missouri Valley improves to 6-0-3 overall and 4-0-1 in the Heart.  William Woods drops to 2-4-1 on the season and 1-3-1 in the conference.

Up next, the Viking soccer teams travel to Lamoni, Iowa for a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader against Graceland (Iowa), Saturday evening.  Women's game starts at 5 p.m., followed by the men's game at 7:30 p.m.

Box Score-Click Here

About Missouri Valley College

Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.