Olivia Vonderheide had yet to score a goal through the first 5 games of her Centre career. She decided the best time to breakthrough was in the home opener on Saturday. Not only did the freshman tally her 1st collegiate goal, she delivered a hat trick and an assist as the Colonels rolled over Roanoke, 4-0.
Centre had the advantage from the start as
Claire Martin and
Philine Bolt nearly had goals inside the first 2 minutes. The Colonels kept the pressure on and were rewarded with 8:33 to play in the first.
Claire Martin dished a pass across the goal box, where Vonderheide was waiting for the tap home to give the Colonels the lead. The freshman nearly had a second goal in the period just 2:33 later but was denied at the doorstep. Martin had a final go at goal in the waning seconds but was turned away as Centre took the 1-0 lead to the second.
Roanoke was the first to threaten in the second with an early penalty corner and ensuing shot that went wide. Centre took advantage with just over 10 minutes to play as Vonderheide navigated through traffic and buried her 2nd goal of the day to double the Colonel lead. Centre again had a final chance in the waning seconds but a penalty corner could not be capitalized on as the 2-0 lead stood at halftime.
Vonderheide completed her hat trick with just 29 seconds to play in the 3rd to give Centre a 3-0 lead going to the 4th. Late in the 4th, she shared the wealth with a slick pass in the box to newcomer,
Stella Regala, who slid the ball home for a goal in her Colonel debut to cap a perfect 2025 home debut.
Centre out shot Roanoke 17-6 overall, including a 9-2 edge on goal. The constant pressure also earned 9 penalty corners to just 4 for the Maroons. Vonderheide and the Colonels are back in action Sunday morning as they take on Bridgewater, who beat DePauw on Saturday. The action gets going at 10:30am.
