Eagles Set Records in Win at Dayton

Columbus beat Dayton 6-1 in the biggest win in club history on Saturday, May 25.

Columbus Eagles FC blitzed Dayton Dutch Lions on Saturday to the tune of six goals and a 6-1 win, the largest win in club history. With the win, the Eagles earn a vital three points and move to the top of the Ohio Valley division of the WPSL.

Columbus came out firing on all cylinders against a Dayton team that won its WPSL opener 5-2 against Ann Arbor. Abby Townsend scored the opening goal of the match off an offensive move that started with Olivia Sensky’s great pass from the backline to Monique Hanayik, who recorded her first assist of the season.

Not three minutes later, Alivia Milesky broke through the Dayton defense, rounded the Dutch Lions keeper Megan Miller, and scored her second goal of the WPSL season to make it 2-0 to Columbus.

The Eagles were far from finished at that point. In the 16th minute, captain Ashley Gogolin – who earlier in the week decried the team’s poor second half in a loss to Cincinnati – continued her run from the base of midfield and finished a breakaway chance to make it three. It’s Gogolin’s first goal of the WPSL season and her second league goal as an Eagle.

The first half barrage continued in the 30th minute, as Milesky got her second goal of the match and third in three WPSL matches.

The Eagles conceded in the 49th minute – Sierra Peacock finished a nice volley past Andrea Vera, who replaced Hannah Sargent in net for the second half – but Columbus added two more to its tally in the final 40 minutes. Nikki Cox, who had just come on at halftime to make her Columbus debut, finished a header from a Micaela Powers cross to make it 5-1.

Later in the second half, Sarina Dirrig hit a laser from 20 yards to complete the onslaught and give the Eagles the 6-1 win, the largest in club history.

The win marks the first time the Eagles have scored four goals in a single half in club history. Six goals overall is also a club record. Columbus has taken six points from its first three matches, which ties its best-ever start in the WPSL.

Next up for Columbus is a road trip to Detroit to play Motor City FC on Saturday, June 1. The match is scheduled to kick off at 2 p.m. and will be broadcast live on the club’s website and on the MyCujoo app.

The Eagles return home for a four-match homestand on Sunday, June 9 against Cleveland Ambassadors. Tickets are on sale now for that match, which has a 7 p.m. kickoff time.