DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Earlham College women's soccer team improved its spot in the HCAC standings with a 4-0 win over Defiance College on Wednesday afternoon. 

After a pass from Noelle Hooper, Mallory Smith got the action started in the seventh minute of play with a left-footed shot to the far post for goal number one. 

Hooper hit paydirt in the 28th minute with a goal from long distance. After Hooper distributed a corner kick, the ball was collected by the offense. Just outside the penalty area, Liz Burley found Hooper open on the near side for the shot opportunity. 

Guilianna Russell scored the first goal of her collegiate career with a header on another corner kick from Hooper in the 34th minute of action. 

Taliyah Coles also recorded her first goal on the afternoon in the 39th minute of play. Hooper took another long shot that put the Defiance goalkeeper off her line. The shot beat the keeper, but bounced flat in front of the goal, where Coles followed up for the open score. 

The Quakers took 40 shots with 22 on frame, and only allowed one attempt by the Yellow Jackets. Makayla Hurey played 90 uneventful minutes in goal. 

Earlham travels to Cincinnati on Saturday to take on Mount St. Joseph in HCAC competition. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 pm.