MARS HILL, N.C. - The Newberry College women's soccer team wasted no time making a statement in South Atlantic Conference play, taking down Mars Hill, 3-0, in its first SAC match of the season.

Newberry (6-1-0, 1-0-0 SAC) opened SAC play in 2008 with a similar 3-0 win over Mars Hill (0-7-0, 0-1-0 SAC). This year, Newberry jumped to an early lead, taking advantage of a Mars Hill foul in the fourth minute. Katie Sas (Columbia, S.C.) found Michaela Peach (Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, England) on a free kick, and Peach headed the ball in to give Newberry a 1-0 lead.

Peach, a senior who scored her first collegiate goal to give the scarlet and gray a win against Limestone on September 9, notched her second goal of the season with the fourth minute score and would not be finished scoring in the match.

Before Peach scored her third career goal, however, another Newberry player tallied her first. Taryn Bristol (Charlotte, N.C.) took a shot 15 yards away from the net in the 35th minute and scored, putting Newberry on top, 2-0. The goal gave the freshman Bristol her first collegiate goal.

Newberry entered halftime with a 2-0 lead. The scarlet and gray outshot Mars Hill nine to six in the first half and 13 to 11 for the match. Newberry also edged Mars Hill in corner kicks with a seven to two advantage.

Not content to rely solely on its defense, Newberry began the second half with another goal in mind. The team would find that goal in the in the 55th minute, when Michaela Peach launched a shot from 35 yards away that beat Mars Hill goalkeeper Chelsea Parker up top and extended the Newberry lead, 3-0.

Peach, with her third goal of the season, now leads Newberry in goals and points. Her two goals against Mars Hill pushed her to seven points on the year.

Armed with a firm 3-0 lead, the scarlet and gray back line and goalkeeper Emily Rhoades (Buckley, Wash.) shut down the Mars Hill attack to preserve the shutout.

Rhoades made six saves in the match to earn her fifth shutout of the season. Rhoades, who the SAC named its women's soccer player of the week on Tuesday, leads the conference in shutouts. With the clean sheet against Mars Hill, Rhoades equals her career high of five shutouts in a season, a feat she accomplished last year. Her season record moves to 6-1-0 with the win and Newberry has not been scored on in 300:41.

Amberly Fowler (Taylors, S.C.), Tiffany Kinner (North Myrtle Beach, S.C.) and Michaela Peach tied for the game high in shots with three, and Peach led in shots on goal with two. Peach also picked up a yellow card in the 84th minute, joining Lora Moore (Raleigh, N.C.), who received a caution earlier. Kenya Charles received Mars Hill's only yellow card.

Newberry faces its only Division I opponent of the year when it heads to Charleston Southern University on Saturday, September 19. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m.