NEWPORT NEWS, VA –The women's soccer team posted goals by three players and goalkeeper Shawna Sprout (Portville, NY, Portville Central) collected six saves to push the Highlanders past Virginia Wesleyan University 3-1 on Saturday afternoon. 
 
The win puts Houghton back over .500 at 3-2, while dropping the Marlins to 1-4.
 
The Highlanders jumped out to an early lead at the 3:27 mark when Sarah Gabriele (Mahwah, NJ, Eastern Christian) drove a corner into the box and Bailey Shattell (Syracuse, NY, Faith Heritage) headed the ball into the left side netting.
 
In the second half Houghton defended an early onslaught of shots from the Marlins before Shattell found Abigail Schmidt (Holland, NY, Holland Central) inside the box, who slotted the ball past the keeper for her first goal of the season.
 
Less than six minutes later the Marlins answered back.  Madison Atkins crossed a ball into the box and Brittany Wentzel hit a one-time volley from the six past Sprout to make the score 2-1.
 
Two minutes later a combination from sophomore Nikki Garns (Chambersburg, PA, Greencastle-Antrim) to Schmidt to rookie midfielder Brielle Kwarta (Pittsford, NY, Pittsford Sutherland) put the game out of reach for the Marlins.  The goal was the first of Kwarta's career.
 
The Highlanders return to action on Tuesday afternoon when they travel to Bradford, PA to take on the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford Panthers at 3:00 PM.