Picking up right where they left off, the Waynesburg University women’s soccer team started the season 2-0 after two non-conference matchups in less than 24 hours removed from each other.

“You feel a little sluggish after a two and a half hour bus ride, but we had enough time to warm up and get ourselves ready,” junior forward Julz Mohrbacher said.

On Friday night, Aug. 29, the Yellow Jackets defeated Mount Union, 2-1, at John F. WIley Stadium.

“We returned a solid core and they took last year as a learning experience mainly on how to prepare in the offseason and they have crushed it,”  head coach George DeAugustino said. “They came in strong and that made us be in a position right now to be playing some really good soccer early in the season.”

Waynesburg was down 1-0 early in the contest, but Mohrbacher tied the game up in the 37th minute. Sophomore forward Amanda Pepe had an assist on the play.

“Pepe and her [Mohrbacher] have a great relationship on the field that gives us a nice one-two punch, and Pepe has set up Julz for a couple of goals already,” DeAugustino said.

Freshman midfielder Miracle Hershey gave the Jackets the go ahead goal with her first collegiate goal in the 49th minute with senior captain, Reagen Mittendorf picking up the assist.

“Miracle has been awesome,” DeAugustino said.

After making the game 2-1, Hershey was swarmed by her teammates.

“At first, I was really shocked,” Hershey said. “I was like ‘Oh my goodness I just scored.'”

On Saturday evening, Aug. 30, the Yellow Jackets shutout Mt. Aloysius, 4-0.

“We talk about defending every blade of grass or turf, depending on what surface we’re on. This group loves defending well and they know if we keep possession, it’s less defending which we did a lot of yesterday,” DeAugustino said.

Mittendorf scored the Jackets first goal on a penalty kick in the 8th minute to get the offense started.

In the 21st minute, Mohrbacher scored the second goal with another assist by Pepe.

“I’m just more confident in my ability to handle all of that because I know I am stronger and more confident on the ball and stronger and can handle taking people on,” Mohrbacher said.

Mittendorf scored her second goal this game, assisted by Mohrbacher, in the 29th minute.

“We don’t want to settle, we just want it more,” Mohrbacher said.

Hershey scored her second goal of the year in the 87th minute to make it 4-0, from an assist by freshman Ryan White.

“We always talk about we want players that are talented, but we also want players that are going to buy into what we do here and they’re committed to the cause and they want to make Waynesburg great, not only for one year but for four,” DeAugustino said.

DeAugustino knows however, that for their next game, the team is going to have to be ready.

“We are going to have to bring it this Wednesday,” DeAugustino said.

The Jackets next game will be this Wednesday, Sept. 3rd, at home against La Roche. The Redhawks are coming into this contest with a 1-0 record after a non conference win against Thiel on Friday, Aug. 29. Waynesburg went to La Roche last year and won, 2-1, on Sept. 4, 2024.