Parkville, Mo. - The No. 4 Central Methodist Women's Soccer program continues to cruise in conference action, as the Eagles defeated Park University by a 3-1 scoreline Saturday afternoon in Parkville, Mo. 

With the win, the Eagles improve to 13-1-1 and 9-0 in the Heart. Park falls to 8-4-1 and 5-4 in conference play. 

Freshman sensation Mariana Barreto tallied all three of Central's goals, earning her second hat trick of the 2023 campaign. The scoring started less than four minutes into the match, as Celine Witt found Barreto on a cross into the box. 

Barreto headed the ball into the back of the net on a diving header to put CMU out in front, 1-0. The native of Valencia, Venezuela tallied her second goal in the 29th minute, as Andrea Jimenez sent a cross into the box, which skipped past the Park backline. 

Barreto was waiting at the backpost for the easy goal to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead, which would prove to be the score at the halftime break. 

As Central has done all season, the offense came out firing on all cylinders, as Barreto completed the trifecta less than four minutes into the second half.

Kirstine Lykke slipped a ball past the Pirates' backline to find Barreto. With a defender draped all over her, she fired the ball past the keeper into the upper 90 for the third goal for the Eagles. 

Park found the back of the net on a defensive miscue less than a minute later to trim Central's lead to 3-1. However, the Pirates were unable to score any additional goals, as CMU would go on to earn a 3-1 win. 

As a team, the Eagles fired off 17 total shots including eight shots on goal. Park tallied 12 shots with seven coming on frame. Lykke finished the afternoon with seven total shots and an assist. 

Barreto added six shots, with five coming on goal. 

Candela Blanco Esteban picked up six saves against seven shots in a full 90 minutes between the posts. 

CMU returns home to host Culver-Stockton College Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 5:00 p.m. at Davis Field.

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