HARROGATE, Tenn. – The Lincoln Memorial University women's soccer team started off the 2021 fall campaign with flying colors Sunday afternoon, as the Lady Railsplitters defeated Bluefield State 4-0 thanks to a glittering veteran display with bright flashes from LMU newcomers.
 
Last season's South Atlantic Conference First Team All-SAC selections and this season's preseason all-conference picks, seniors Rachel Taylor and Jessica Cravero didn't skip a beat, both bagging a brace in the four-nil triumph.
 
Six Lady Railsplitters received their first cap Sunday afternoon in Harrogate: Mimi Neijens, Kyara Vanheuverswijn, Ryan Branson, Ashlee Lewis, Skylar Daniels and Emily Rodriguez. Neijens and Vanheuverswijn both notched their first collegiate start, as Vanheuverswijn provided the sharpshooters in Blue and Grey with two assists on the afternoon. Knoxville frosh Ryan Branson also recorded her first collegiate assist off the bench against the Big Blue.
 
"A good start for us. We were able to get several players in that have real game experience now. We created good chances and kept a clean sheet, which is massive for our confidence to begin the season," head coach Matt Carr said. "It was very important to win the first match at home, and I can't wait to travel to Atlanta next week."
 
LMU only needed less than a quarter of an hour to open their 2021 scoring slate in Sunday's season opener. Freshman Dutch native Kyara Vanheuverswijn played in a terrific well-hit, low-driven cross from the right flank into the six-yard-box, finding last season's joint top-scorer, Rachel Taylor, who gave LMU the 1-0 advantage, neatly placing the cross in the near post.  
 
Newcomer Ryan Branson dazzled with pace down the left wing with only three minutes until halftime, and unselfishly picked out the prolific goal-scoring Cravero in front of the net for the Lady Railsplitters' second of the afternoon.
 
LMU went to half with a two-nil advantage, and quickly bagged a third to begin the second 45 minutes. Senior Rachel Taylor completed her brace, running on to a through ball, as the Bluefield keeper jumped off her line in a race with Taylor. The senior Clarksville native arrived seconds ahead, chipping the ball over the head of the out-stretched keeper for a 30-yard finish into the empty net.
 
Cravero's brace was completed in the dying moments of Sunday's contest, thanks to another assist from debutant Kyara Vanheuverswijn.
 
LMU continued to be rock solid at the back to continue their run of form from last season. The Lady Railsplitters only conceded seven goals in seven matches in the spring. Second Team All-Sac selection Fabienne Loetscher, goalkeeper Isabelle Zukaitis, junior Sydney Wolfenbarger, senior Graciela Palencia, sophomore Merel Houweling and Mariana Diaz were all instrumental in Sunday's clean sheet.
 
Up Next
 
The Lady Railsplitters hit the road for the second contest of the season, traveling to Morrow, Georgia to take on Clayton State next Wednesday Sept. 8. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. EST.

How to Follow
 
Stay tuned to LMURailsplitters.com, as well as LMU's social media platforms - @LMURailsplitter on Twitter, @LMURailsplitters on Facebook and @lmurailsplitters on Instagram, for complete coverage of Lady Railsplitter soccer across the 2021 season.