St. Mary’s City, Md. – Senior forward Brenna Ziegler etched her name in St. Mary’s College of Maryland history on September 28, 2025, firing three goals to become the Seahawks’ all-time leading scorer in a commanding 8-0 rout of Wittenberg University in North Carolina. The non-conference clash saw the Seahawks (6-4) deliver their fourth shutout of the season, snapping a three-game skid with flair. Ziegler’s hat trick pushed her career tally to 46 goals, eclipsing Lauriann Parker’s 2013 record of 44 and igniting cheers from teammates and fans alike.
From the opening whistle, St. Mary’s seized control. Senior midfielder Josie Shermeyer sparked the first quarter, rifling a goal at 4:50 and setting up senior captain Emma Watkins and Ziegler for strikes at 8:08 and 11:14, respectively, to build a 3-0 lead. The Seahawks’ relentless attack didn’t let up, with Watkins and Ziegler netting goals in the second period to send SMCM into halftime up 5-0.
Ziegler’s third-quarter goal at 32:04, a record-setting rocket, made it 6-0 and cemented her place in program lore. Senior captain Jena Vanskiver and Leonardtown’s own first-year defender Josie Mascolo, a St. Mary’s Ryken alum, capped the scoring in the fourth with their first goals of 2025 at 46:19 and 55:18, turning the game into a showcase of Seahawk depth.
The stat sheet told a story of dominance: St. Mary’s unleashed 42 shots to Wittenberg’s 12, landing 25 on goal compared to the Tigers’ five, and earned eight penalty corners to Wittenberg’s four. Sophomore Sophia Kent and junior Caroline McDonald split time in goal, combining for four saves in a seamless shutout, their second together this season. Wittenberg’s Taryn Toburen battled valiantly, stopping 14 shots, but the winless Tigers (0-8) had no answer for SMCM’s onslaught.
Ziegler, a Newark, Delaware native, led with nine shots, six on target, her precision and power driving the offense. Shermeyer dazzled with a goal and two assists, while Watkins added two goals. Mascolo, a local standout, fired four shots, her goal a highlight for St. Mary’s County fans who pack Seahawk Stadium to support a team tied to the region’s vibrant sports culture near Patuxent River Naval Air Station.
St. Mary’s, a United East Conference contender fresh off a 2024 semifinal run, thrives on community pride at its 1,600-student public honors college. Field hockey pulses through Southern Maryland’s fall scene, and this win sets the stage for a crucial road stretch. The Seahawks face Immaculata (4-6) on October 8 at 4 p.m. in Immaculata, Pa., then take on Lancaster Bible (2-5) on October 11 at 5 p.m. in Lancaster, Pa., as they chase conference glory.
Clarifying question: isn’t Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio? What team was this?
My mistake. The game was played in North Carolina. It has been corrected.