O'Connell scores twice as Carroll runs win streak to four

Helena Independent Record

BILLINGS - Meghan O'Connell scored twice and goalkeeper Katie Beall recorded her fifth shutout of the season as the Carroll College women's soccer team blanked Rocky Mountain College 2-0 in a Frontier Conference game on Sunday.

"I thought the whole team played quite well," Carroll coach Dave Thorvilson said. "We got a good, solid 90 minutes."

The victory was the fourth straight for the Saints (11-4-1, 2-1-1 Frontier Conference) and was a measure of revenge for a 2-1 loss to RMC in Helena on Sept. 25. RMC falls to 3-9, 1-3.

"We always seem to play well at their place and they play really well at ours," Thorvilson said.

O'Connell's goals came in the 20th and 46th minutes and were both unassisted.

O'Connell, who leads the Saints with 10 goals this season, opened the scoring with shot inside the six-yard box off a corner kick that deflected off a defender to give the Saints a 1-0 lead.

O'Connell made it 2-0 in the first minute of the second half when she took a pass from Kristine Sowers, dribbled through several defenders and found the back of the net.

Carroll will host conference-leading Westminster College (7-7-1, 2-0-1) next Sunday in a game that could determine the Frontier Conference regular-season championship.

A victory against Westminster could set Carroll up to host the Frontier Conference/Dakota Athletic Conference Tournament on Nov. 6-7.