(Lebanon, Ill., August 31) – Senior midfielder Ashley Varns (Chatham, Ill./Glenwood) tied a McKendree University women's soccer record with four assists to help lead the Bearcats to a 6-1 win over Central Methodist University (Mo.) on Tuesday night at Leemon Field.

McKendree, ranked No. 11 in the NAIA, improved to 1-0 overall and will host Southern Nazarene University (Okla.) on Sept. 9th at 6 p.m.

The Bearcats wasted no time in the contest and got on the scoreboard in the fourth minute on a goal by junior defender Erin Kilian (St. Louis, Mo./Kennedy) off a corner kick by Varns. In the sixth minute, Junior forward Sulyn Keomanivane (Granite City, Ill./Granite City) took a pass from Varns on the right side and dribbled past the charging goalkeeper to give McKendree a 2-0 lead. The Bearcats scored their third goal of the first half in the 11th minute when sophomore forward Carlee Luehmann (Granite City, Ill./Granite City) took a pass from senior defender Kyla Nighohossian (Granite City, Granite City) and scored to the far left post.

The Eagles scored in the 54th minute, but McKendree scored three more goals in the final 15 minutes of the contest to seal the victory. Freshman forward Amy Cassiday (Rochester, Ill./Rochester) scored to the bottom right corner on a pass from Varns in the 76th minute and junior midfielder Chrissy Ghirardi (O'Fallon, Mo./Ft. Zumwalt South) scored a header goal off a Varns corner kick in the 78th minute to give McKendree a 5-1 lead. Sophomore forward Jessica Muckensturm (Swansea, Ill./Belleville East) scored on a pass from senior defender Sarah Eckelkamp (Arnold, Mo./Fox) with 12-seconds remaining to give the Bearcats the 6-1 win.

Varns' four assists ties Eckelkamp and former player Jan Delaney in the McKendree record books. Eckelkamp's four assists came at Harris-Stowe State University last season and Delaney's came against Hannibal-LaGrange College in 2001.

Senior goalkeeper Liz Yanko (St. Louis, Mo./Rosati-Kain) played all 90 minutes in goal and had one save in the victory.