Women's soccer wins season opener

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The Mount Mercy women's soccer team got off to a great start this weekend, scoring twice in the second half to defeat intra-city rival Coe, 2-0, on Saturday night at Hadzic Field at the Robert W. Plaster Athletic Complex.

The Mustangs (1-0-0), who won their season opener for the second year in a row, now travel to Mount Vernon on Wednesday to take on Cornell at 5:00 pm. They host Hannibal-LaGrange on Saturday, Sept. 11, at 2:00 pm before opening Heart of America Athletic Conference play at Grand View on Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 5:00 pm at Cownie Complex in Des Moines.

After a scoreless first half on Saturday evening, Ayaka Matsumaru found the back of the net twice after intermission. The first came on an assist by Sydney Busse while Miran Sakai set up Matsumaru's second score of the night. Mount Mercy out-shot Coe, 16-9, while putting seven shots on frame compared to five for the Kohawks. Grace Byers posted a clean sheet for the Mustangs with five saves.