- Kailey Burrell registered her first career hat trick and Mae Pierce scored two goals with two assists to lead the Covenant women's soccer team to an 8-0 rout of Wesleyan on Saturday in USA South action at Scotland Yard.
Burrell was part of the five-member Covenant senior class that was recognized before the match. Mary Streets, Heidi Hall, Julie Meritt, and Hannah Rodehaver joined Burrell to be honored for their hard work and dedication to the program.
Once the match started, Covenant (8-5-2, 4-1-1 USA South) dominated the action as the Scots scored six times in the opening half.
Burrell converted a penalty kick in the 16th minute, and then scored a second goal just 22 seconds later -- assisted by Pierce -- to put the Scots ahead 2-0.
Burrell completed the hat trick with her third goal of the match in the 48th minute, again assisted by Pierce, that made it 7-0.
It was Burrell's first career three-goal match, and her 10th multi-goal match. The senior has a career-high 15 goals this season and 39 in her career. Her 15 goals currently leads the USA South.
Pierce got into the scoring in the 18th minute when her shot from the right-side of the box deflected off the keeper and into the net to give Covenant a 3-0 lead. Pierce assisted on both of Burrell's goals and added her second goal in the 54th minute that capped the scoring. It was the second and third goals of the year for Pierce.
Leah Marr gave Covenant a 4-0 lead in the 19th minute. Marr collected a loose ball above the box and sliced her shot into the net for her third score of the year. In the 21st minute, Rachel Wall gained possession inside midfield and beat the Wesleyan defense before scoring her sixth goal of the season to make it 5-0.
Meritt notched her first career goal in the 31st minute. The senior was fouled just outside the box and sizzled the back of the net with her free kick from the top of the box that gave the Scots a 6-0 lead.
Lucy Sandhoff made two saves and Leilani Brown had one save for Covenant as the pair combined for the Scots' eighth shutout of the year.
Covenant held a 28-5 margin in total shots, and 17-3 in shots on goal. Pierce and Burrell each took seven attempts to lead all players.
Wesleyan (0-11-2, 0-6-1 USA South) got eight saves from keeper Maya Phillips.
Covenant will host Agnes Scott on Tuesday, Oct. 19 in the final home match of the regular season. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.