The seventh-ranked Misericordia University women's soccer team extended its season-opening win streak to four, blanking Gordon, 4-0, Saturday afternoon at Mangelsdorf Field.
 
Olivia Maniskas recorded a goal and an assist for the Cougars. Brenna Field notched her first goal of the season while Larissa Evans and Julia Hayward both scored their first collegiate goals. Madison Miller made two saves in goal for MU.
 
Evans gave Misericordia its first scoring opportunity of the match with a shot on goal from just outside the box that was turned aside in the third minute of action.
 
Alyssa Steenback found herself with a golden scoring opportunity five minutes later, picking up a ball just outside the crease and chipping it towards goal. The Gordon goalkeeper scooped up the low shot to keep the score level, 0-0.
 
The Cougars continued to keep play hemmed in the Fighting Scots' zone and almost found the back of the net once again in the 17th minute when Esabella Mendola charged towards goal and booted a laser of a shot earmarked for the back of the net. Gordon's keeper made a leaping save to her right as MU continued to search for the opening goal.
 
Misericordia finally got on the board in the 19th minute after Evans picked up a bouncing ball out of the scrum, dribbled around a defender and fought off a shot to the upper left corner of the net. Evans' first collegiate goal was unassisted and put MU in the lead, 1-0.
 
The Cougars continued to fire on all cylinders offensively, finishing the first 45 with seven shots on goal and three corner attempts to take a 1-0 lead into halftime.
 
MU picked up right where it left off in the second frame, as Field launched a shot from just inside 30 yards that took a deflection off a defender and found its way into the mouth of the goal. The 2-0 marker was Field's first of the season and came just over two and a half minutes into the second half.
 
Momentum continued to swing Misericordia's way in the 59th minute when a pass from the far side of the goal caught Maniskas in stride as she swung around towards the front of the goal. Maniskas beat a defender and snuck the ball past the keeper's left side for her first goal of the season, building the Cougars' lead to 3-0.
 
The field further tiled in MU's favor in the 63rd minute, as the team quickly broke the ball out of their own zone thanks to a one-touch pass by Maniskas. Hayward managed to stay onside and track down the ball, ripping a shot that deflected off the Fighting Scots' keeper and into the goal. Maniskas assisted on Hayward's first collegiate goal, expanding the Cougars' lead to 4-0.
 
Miller took over the goalkeeping duties from Lauren Mondor in the 73rd minute and was tested twice in her first 10 minutes of action, turning aside both shots.

MU nearly tacked on a fifth goal in the final minute of the match when Aracelia Denhalter fired a shot towards the crossbar, but was punched away by the Gordon keeper.
 
Misericordia controlled play through the 90th minute, closing out their fourth straight win with a 4-0 victory over the Fighting Scots.
 
The Cougars fly down to the Lone Star state to battle the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, next Friday at 8:00.