Rader's Career Game Leads Eagles Past EMU

Athletes are often told to visualize and attack: to envision a goal, a hit, a tackle, or a basket and then go out there and make it happen. Sometimes truth is stranger, and better, than fiction.

UMW sophomore midfielder Tina Rader had the game of a lifetime Monday, netting four goals as the University of Mary Washington Women's Soccer team blew out Eastern Mennonite University 6-0.

"I think I was just in the right place at the right time," said a humble Rader after the game. "But it felt great though; I'll take it."

All four of Rader's goals came in the second half, and in fact the game remained close for the first forty-five minutes as the Eagles only took a 1-0 lead to halftime.

"I thought it should have been 2-0 or 3-0 in the first half," remarked fourth-year UMW coach Corey Hewson. "But I think more and more we wore them out in the first half, and it set up what we were able to do in the second half."

After the break, the sun emerged from the clouds, and correspondingly, UMW's offense heated up.

Generating chance after chance, UMW wore down a beleagured Royals defense. The Eagles won individual battles, controlling possession and dominating the flow of the game. Already up 3-0 in the late going, Rader put the nail in the coffin, scoring goals in the 87th and 88th (twice) minutes.

The Eagles (2-0) will look to keep their hot start going Saturday, when they host Methodist University at 12:30 p.m.