TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Fightin' Engineers kicked off the 2025 campaign on the highest possible note, taking down in-city rivals St. Mary-of-the-Woods Pomeroys by a score of 5-0.
 
Rose-Hulman would dominate possession early in the match, and senior Alex Adams recorded consecutive shots on target in the 16^th minute that were blocked by the Pomeroy defense. Senior Lauren Marquardt nearly put the Fightin' Engineers in the lead with a 20th-minute strike on target, which was caught in the air by goalkeeper Eerika Erjansalo.
 
Marquardt added a second shot on target in the 28^th minute, which was deflected away on a diving save, and sophomore Iliana Hernandez added a 34th-minute shot on goal, on a long pass from junior Emma Johns.
 
The Fightin' Engineers were awarded a corner in the 37^th minute, and Marquardt's lob pass was headed into the back of the net by Johns to give RHIT a 1-0 lead. Rose-Hulman would add a second goal six minutes later as freshman Gaby Hansen headed in the first goal of her collegiate career, on a corner kick assist from sophomore Taylor Beede.
 
Rose-Hulman closed out the half with a 2-0 lead, and they outshot St. Mary-of-the-Woods 19-0, while attempting 12 corner kicks to the Pomeroy's zero.
 
The Fightin' Engineers' dominance would continue early in the second half as Hernandez recorded a 53rd-minute goal from right inside the box, on an assist from junior Ally Smith.
 
Six minutes later, RHIT was awarded a free kick in front of the box, as junior Meagan Hall drew a foul. Smith attempted the free kick, and her pass connected with Hernandez. Hernandez took one dribble to the left and launched her second goal into the back of the net, putting Rose-Hulman up by four. Hernandez nearly recorded a hat trick in the 64^th minute, but her shot was tipped away on an impressive diving save.
 
In the 68^th minute, senior Katie Choi made a downfield pass to Hall, who blew past the Pomeroy defense and found herself in a one-on-one with the keeper. Hall took a dribble and recorded a shot to the right that rolled into the goal, giving Rose-Hulman a 5-0 lead.
 
Marquardt would nearly put the Fightin' Engineers up by six, as her 77th-minute shot sailed over the keeper's hands, but deflected off the top of the post. Freshman Makayla Doherty would add Rose-Hulman's final shot on goal, as her 86^th strike from distance was caught in the air.
 
Rose-Hulman thrived on both ends of the field in their 5-0 victory, where they concluded the game with 36 total shots and 17 shots on goal. On the defensive side, senior Brooke Spurlock recorded her first career shutout, while the RHIT defense didn't allow a single shot or corner kick in the entire match.
 
The Fightin' Engineers will continue their homestand on Sunday, August 31, as they take on the Ohio Northern Polar Bears at 3 PM.