MACOMB, Ill. – The Drake women's soccer team hit the road for the first time this season on Thursday evening and picked up their first win season in dominating fashion with a 5-0 rout over Western Illinois. The five goals scored by the Bulldogs marked the most goals in game for Drake since 2015.
 
"This was the response we needed from Sunday," Drake head coach Lindsey Horner said. "Tonight, our team was disciplined defensively and physical, but incredibly creative, tidy, and confident going forward. A lot of who we are will come from the energy we bring and today we were intense and competitive."
 
The Bulldogs were on the attack in the early goings against the Leathernecks putting plenty of pressure on the WIU defense and goalkeeper Ariel Bernard. In the first 12 minutes of action, Drake ripped off five shots, but none found the back of the net with Bernard making a couple of saves.
 
It was Drake's sixth shot of the half, however, that finally got through and gave the Bulldogs the early lead. In the 19th minute, Eve Blakey slotted her attempt into the lower left portion of the goal for her second score of the season. Layla Kelbel and Paige Millstone set up Blakey with the opportunity and were credited with the assists.
 
Drake kept the offensive pressure up as the half moved along, tallying 11 total shots in the first 45 minutes with six attempts coming on target, but as the halftime horn sounded the score remained 1-0.
 
It wasn't long after the action resumed that the Bulldogs added to their lead. Blakey once again came through for the Bulldogs and notched her second goal of the game in the 50th minute making the score 2-0. Angela Gutierrez tallied the assist for Drake, which marked her second helper of the year.
 
Gaining the early momentum in the second half the Bulldogs were quick to add on their third goal. Just three minutes after Blakey's goal, sophomore Claire Emmerich recorded her first goal of the season with Blakey adding to her point total picking up the assist.
 
The offensive onslaught continued a little later in the second half with the Bulldogs scoring their fourth goal of the contest. The score occurred in the 65th minute coming of the foot of redshirt senior Madelyn Smith notching her second goal in as many games. Finding herself in the center of the action again was Blakey earning her second assist along with Zoey Mahoney.
 
The final Bulldog tally came from Izzy Snowden, who scored via header off a corner kick sent in by Smith in the 74th minute to register her first goal of the season and made it 5-0 in favor of the Bulldogs.
 
"It was a fun outing to get a lot of players in the game and to bring Alanna [Pennington] back to WIU and leave with the score that reflects our performance," Horner added. "This Sunday will be our first Power Four opponent, so we are excited to continue to learn more about ourselves and get up for the challenge."
 
In total, the Bulldogs racked up 28 shots in the match and had 15 of those attempts come on target. Drake also won the corners battle by a mark of 6-1 over the Leathernecks.
 
In goal, Addie Ford started and played the majority of the match logging 73 minutes and made a pair of saves on the two shots she faced. Kate Hopma came into the match for the final 17 minutes and held strong to keep the clean sheet.
 
Drake continues its road stretch with a match against Iowa State on Sunday, August 24. Kickoff from Ames, Iowa is slated for 6 p.m.