DES MOINES, Iowa – Redshirt senior Rebecca Rodgers (Peotone, Ill.) and freshman Hannah Bormann (Amana, Iowa) scored goals for the Drake University women's soccer team in a 2-0 shutout over Omaha on Wednesday night at the Cownie Soccer Complex in the program's annual "Kick Cancer" game.
 
"We have always enjoyed our Kick Cancer game," said Drake head coach Lindsey Horner. "When you're competing at a high-level it easy to take things like your health for granted.  Tonight, is important to raise awareness, but this event also serves as a reminder that it's a privilege to play collegiately."
 
Drake (6-3-1) recorded its fourth shutout of the season as Omaha (2-6-1) failed to score in its fifth match of the year. The Bulldogs avenged a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Mavericks in 2015, and now holds a slight advantage at 3-2 in the all-time series.
 
Rodgers' goal came in the 16^th minute (16:43) off a header that she slipped past the Omaha keeper, Erin Bunker. Senior Ali Smith (Lenexa, Kan.) sent a long pass from near midfield that Rodgers went vertical for and got her head on the ball. Rodgers has scored one goal in three of the past four matches for Drake, which is 3-0-1 during that span.
 
Bormann's second career goal, sealed it for the Bulldogs, as it came in the 83rd minute (83:46). Senior Rachel Wanninger (Johnston, Iowa) had her shot blocked by Bunker deep in the box, but Wanninger gathered the ball and sent a pass to an unmarked Bormann at the top of the box, who calmly blasted it in the back of the net far post. Bormann is coming off being named the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week for the first time on Monday.
 
Rodgers has scored a team-leading four goals this season, and 31 in her decorated career. She needs just one more goal to equal the all-time mark held by Andrea Schmitz (2002-05), who had 32 goals in her outstanding career.
 
"We actually scored our first goal against the run of play," Horner said. "We have let some of our standards slip a bit and in doing so let Omaha stay in the game. In the second half, we worked like we were playing against a league opponent, put in hard tackles and made the game easier for our back five that were once again phenomenal tonight. If we keep the standard of the second half and become a bit more clinical in the box I think we can be a really exciting team to watch."
 
Drake senior goalkeeper Haley Morris (Clive, Iowa) tallied eight saves. The Bulldogs' backline of Linda Fiorito (Overland Park, Kan.), Elaine Gorom (O'Fallon, Ill.), Kasey Hurt (Ankeny, Iowa) and Smith played great defense along with Morris as they each played the entire match on a warm, muggy night at Cownie. Omaha garnered just three shots in the second half.
 
Following Wednesday's game, Drake visits Western Illinois on Sept. 24 for a 1 p.m. matinee contest. This week is the final non-conference action for the Bulldogs who will start MVC play at home against league newcomer Valparaiso on Sept. 30.