MOUNT VERNON — The University of Rio Grande women’s soccer team traveled to Mount Vernon Nazarene to open the 2006 American Mideast Conference South Division season on Monday afternoon and lost to the Lady Cougars, 6-1.

This game was moved to Mount Vernon after the game, which was originally scheduled to play at Rio Grande on August 25, was postponed.

Mount Vernon Nazarene (2-4, 1-0 AMCS) scored two first half goals and that would be all it would need to win the match. Lady Cougar Page Miller recorded a hat trick en route to leading her team to five-goal victory.

Rio Grande (1-5, 0-1 AMCS) avoided a shutout with a goal from forward Beth Hoffman in the 63rd minute. Hoffman stole the ball from a defender and scored the unassisted goal. At the time it cut the deficit to 2-1 and gave the Redwomen some life.

MVNU would score four times in the final 20 minutes of the game to reach the 6-1 final.

The Lady Cougars controlled the game, getting off 52 shots compared to only for the Redwomen with a 20-1 advantage in shots on goal.

Rio goalkeeper Sarah Sandlin notched 14 saves on the night. MVNU’s Krysti Wilson had one stop.

Rio Grande returns home to host Urbana, September 20 at Evan Davis Field. Kick-off is set for 6 p.m. Urbana defeated the Redwomen in the 2005 season opener, 2-0.

Redwomen lose at Marietta

MARIETTA — A fast start quickly faded for the University of Rio Grande women’s soccer team. The depleted Redwomen dropped a 5-1 decision on Saturday afternoon in a non-conference soccer match with Marietta College.

Rio Grande (1-4) played well early and grabbed control of the game with a 1-0 lead on a goal by sophomore forward Beth Hoffman in the fourth minute.

Marietta (3-2-2) then scored five unanswered goals in rolling to a 5-1 win. Rio Grande had only 12 active players and that turned out to be a key factor in the game.

Marietta scored twice in the 26th minute on consecutive goals from Colby Cardwell. Cardwell would an assist later in the game.

The Lady Pioneers would add two more scores before the first half came to a close.

Britney Backus slipped in from the right side into the six-yard box and scored in the 30th minute. Jessica Martinez scored an unassisted goal in the 34th minute. Martinez had a goal and an assist for the game.

Marietta closed out the scoring in the 47th minute on a goal by Kileen Lehman.

Rio goalkeeper Sarah Sandlin registered 10 saves while Jenna Breeman and Beth Gasaway shared a half in goal for the Lady Pioneers. Breeman notched one save.