PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Malaya Sperber (So.-Cedar Grove, Wis.) scored three times and the Lakeland University women's soccer team broke loose for its first win of the season with a 5-0 shutout of Rockford University Saturday afternoon at John Taylor Memorial Field.

Sperber tallied her first collegiate hat trick and added an assist to highlight six players recording at least one goal or one assist in the match. The Muskies snapped an 11-match winless streak to start the season and had a successful Senior Day in improving to 1-10-1 overall and 1-7 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.

Lakeland opened the afternoon by recognizing the careers of seniors Janae Kilsdonk (Appleton, Wis.), Brianna Love (Levittown, Pa.) and Allison Solberg-Kieler (Ridgeway, Wis.), and the Muskies proceeded to control play throughout against the Regents (1-12 overall, 0-7 NACC).

Lakeland outshot Rockford 27-1 for the match, including 17-1 in the first half, but was held off the board until the 28th minute. Mikayla Belasco (Jr.-Muskegon, Mich.) served a corner kick from the left that Sperber headed in front of the goal. Regents goalkeeper Lily Rose got a piece of the ball but it hit the ground just inches over the goal line, enough to give the Muskies a 1-0 lead.

Lakeland struck again less than nine minutes later. Elizabeth Brown (So.-Seymour, Wis.) dropped a pass back to Belasco on the right side, and the junior midfielder blasted a long shot from 30 yards out into the upper left corner for her first goal of the season. The Muskies added another goal with less than two minutes before halftime, as Lia Armstrong (Jr.-Fort Wayne, Ind.) sent a pass ahead to Sperber, who worked through the defense, made a move into an option shot and scored from 15 yards out to make it 3-0.

The Muskies continued to carry play in the second half and added some insurance late, first in the 78th minute. Sperber intercepted a short corner kick pass in the Rockford offensive end and carried the ball past midfield until sending a cross to Ingrid Steinbock (So.-Sheboygan, Wis.) on the run. Steinbock then passed back to the center to Ava Neils (Kiel, Wis.), and the freshman beat Rose from 13 yards out for her first collegiate goal.

Lakeland added one goal in the 82nd minute. Jenny Champney (So.-Antioch, Ill.) settled a pass ahead from Madie Linka (Jr.-Somerset, Wis.) and dribbled down the right side until sending a cross in front of the goal that Sperber ran onto and scored for her third goal of the match and fifth of the season.

Sperber finished the game with 13 shot attempts, including eight shots on goal. Belasco added five shots and Neils, Ines Rodriguez (Jr.-Newark, Calif.) and Alyssa Voigt (So.-New Holstein, Wis.) added two shots each. Steinbock and Addi Reimer (Fr.-Plymouth, Wis.) shared time in goal and combined for the shutout without making a save.

The Muskies are home again Wednesday when they host Milwaukee School of Engineering at 7 p.m. at Taylor Field.