Oct. 21, 2001

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OXFORD, Ohio-Powered by senior Brooke Paul's (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart) second career hat trick, Miami University women's soccer team earned a key Mid-American Conference victory Sunday afternoon, blanking Western Michigan University, 4-0.

"I was very impressed with how we played today," Head Coach Bobby Kramig said. "This was the type of game that could have very easily gotten away from us if we weren't disciplined, but we played very skillful soccer and kept with our game plan. It was one of our better efforts this season."

Miami, which held the Broncos without a first-half shot, netted their first score at 32:55 when Katie Milligan (Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville) fired a shot that was only partially deflected by Ramey and found its way into the far corner of the net. Danielle Berkemeier (Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield) assisted on the goal, which was Milligan's first of the season.

Leading 1-0 at halftime, the RedHawks were given an instant boost by Paul in the second half. Paul's first score came just three minutes into the half, when she drove deep into the Bronco penalty box and lifted a sharp-angled shot over Bronco goalkeeper Megan Ramey and into the far corner of the net.

The senior forward struck again in the 56th minute when the passing of Ashley Swinehart (Worthington, Ohio/Worthington) and Holly Wildenhaus (Centerville, Ohio/Massachusetts) found her with an open shot in front of the goal. Swinehart and Paul connected again less than four minutes later when Swinehart once again found an open Paul, who completed the first Miami hat trick of the season.

"I'm absolutely thrilled for Brooke," Head Coach Bobby Kramig said. "She scored three of the best goals I've seen all season. She really put on a show out there."

RedHawk netminder Katie Karlander (Carmel, Ind./Syracuse), who made two saves, earned her ninth win and fourth complete-game shutout of the season, reducing her goals against average to a mere 0.95. The shutout was her third consecutive.

Miami moved to 10-5-0 overall and 7-2-0 in the MAC, reaching the 10-win barrier for the third consecutive season and keeping itself in the thick of a heated MAC race. The Red and White returns to the field next weekend, facing Ball State on Friday and Bowling Green on Sunday.

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