NEW CONCORD, Ohio - September 6, 2023 - The blend of timely offense and consistent defense proved to be a winning formula for Hiram women's soccer on Wednesday, as the Terriers posted their second shutout of the season, 1-0, over Muskingum to improve to 1-1-1.

Caitlin Tucker recorded her 1st goal of the season – 3rd of her career – while Skyler Huda posted her 5th career shutout. The rest of the Terriers defensive unit consisted of Briana Troyan, Tucker, Tayleigh Price, Kylie Hudson, Kena Crownover and Hailey Eastwood, who collectively combined to hold the Fighting Muskies to 7 shots on goal.

It's the 6th time Hiram has beaten Muskingum in program history, which is tied for its 3rd-most wins against any single opponent. The program has 12 wins vs Thiel and 9 vs Hilbert.

Huda and the rest of the Terriers defense fended off Muskingum shots within the first 12 minutes of play. Hiram responded with a few shots of its own before the back-and-forth nature of the game kept the score deadlocked at 0-0 heading into the intermission.

Hiram again came out with a defensive intensity in the second half, as it either saved or blocked 4 different Muskingum shots in the early stages of the period. Muskingum would be called offside in the 64th minute, keeping the score at 0-0 with 25 minutes remaining.

Then came the game-changing play, as Olivia Kraft recorded the first assist of her career on a pass that set up Tucker in the 68th minute. The Terriers gained the lead and now had just over 20 minutes left to hold strong and level their record.

The defense would complete that mission, with Huda recording 4 of her 7 saves in the last 22 minutes. One last shot came in the final minute, but the senior goalkeeper – and reigning Terrier of the Week - did her job to seal the hard-earned, team victory.

Hiram will now set its sights on Bluffton, where it will play at 12 p.m. on Saturday from the Sears Complex in Bluffton, Ohio.