From staff reports

sports@joplinglobe.com

The season opener turned into an offense explosion for the Missouri Southern women’s soccer team on Saturday.

The Lions pounded 16 shots on goal and whipped visiting Delta (Miss.) State 6-0 at Fred G. Hughes Stadium. The game was moved to the turf from muddy Hal Bodon Field.

Junior Megan Walker scored 17 minutes into the game and junior Nikki Llewellyn gave the No. 19-ranked Lions a 2-0 halftime lead on an assist from junior Elise Cairo.

In the second half, senior Ashley Turner made it 3-0 at the 53:31 mark.

Freshman Lindsay Altman, from Joplin, scored 10 minutes later and sophomore Stephanie Hines added a goal just 52 seconds later.

Christina Kleekamp, a junior, scored at the 73-minute mark for the final margin.

Southern senior keeper Kaney Tyler recorded the shutout, posting five saves.

The Lions are scheduled to return to Bodon Field today, meeting Harding (Ark.) University at 1 p.m. A men’s game between Missouri Southern (1-0) and Harding will follow at 3.

Volleyball team splits

For the second straight day, the Missouri Southern volleyball team split a pair of matches in the Southern Invitational.

The Lions lost 3-2 to Missouri-St. Louis before dropping Drury 3-1.

Missouri-St. Louis beat the Lions 15-11 in the deciding game after Southern rallied from a 2-1 deficit with a 30-27 victory.

Senior Sarah Hoffmeister paced the offense with 23 kills. Senior Ashley Wright and junior Cherie Baugh added 12 kills each. Erin Mitchem had 32 assists and Sarah Joles added 28. Senior Amy Barnicle had 17 digs to top six Lions in double figures.