SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. - The Western Mustangs women's soccer team responded to an early opposing goal on Sunday afternoon at Superior Heights Field by scoring 16 of their own, including four by Paige Howard, culminating in a 16-1 victory against the Algoma Thunderbirds.

The victory gives the Mustangs sole possesion of first place in the OUA West Division and marks their fourth win of an undefeated season.

Howard was not the only Mustang to score multiple goals. After Julia Crnjac recorded Western's first goal of the day, she put up two more goals to record a hat trick. Amanda Boyle also recorded a hat trick, while Lauren Winquist found the back of the Thunderbird net twice and Tianna Deluzio, Abbey Young, Stefanie Di Tella, and Jess Friend each added one point to the scoreboard. 

After Algoma's Taylor Bellini's opened the scoring in the 11th minute, Crnjac answered back seven minutes later to tie the game at 1-1. The Mustangs used the momentum from Crnjac's goal to take control of the game, with the Mustangs defence preventing the host Thunderbirds from taking another shot on keeper Tori Edgar for the remainder of the contest.

While Edgar got the chance to relax, Western put the pressure on Algoma's keeper Lauren Moore by sending 14 more shots her way in the first half alone. Struggling to staunch the steady onslaught of purple and white shots, the score was 5-1 heading into halftime.

Returning from the break, it was more of the same for the Mustangs, firing 14 shots at Algoma with 11 of those turning into goals to give Western a 16-1 victory.

The Mustangs will now get set to face the undefeated Laurier Golden Hawks on Saturday, September 12. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Mustang Field.