Six Lady Toppers scored Sunday in a 7-1 victory over visiting Alabama A&M, the most goals Western Kentucky has scored against a Division I opponent since the 2016 season opener against UT Martin.

Junior Ashley Leonard led the way with two goals, while Aleksandra Kozovic, Katie Erwin, Ansley Cate and Taylor Stanley had one goal each. WKU’s six-goal margin of victory was its largest since last season’s nine-goal victory over Kentucky Christian.

WKU (4-2-1) combined for 29 shots compared to just five for Alabama A&M (2-4). The Lady Toppers also took six corners in the match to the Bulldogs’ one.

Ambere Barnett led the Lady Topper attack with six shots in 61 minutes played. Leonard finished with five shots, three of which were on target, and Cate and Taylor Stanley both notched three shots on the day.

WKU’s Anne-Marie Ulliac minded the net for the first 56 minutes, allowing one goal before freshman Ashley Kobylinski came in and finished out the match. Both finished the day with one save apiece. For Alabama A&M, Jodi Medina played the full 90 minutes in goal, recording six saves while allowing seven Lady Topper goals.

The Lady Toppers kick off Conference USA play at 4 p.m. Saturday when Southern Miss visits the WKU Soccer Complex. The two sides met last season in Hattiesburg, Miss., where the Golden Eagles came away with a 1-0 victory. Saturday’s match will be carried live on Facebook by HSSN.

Arnold sets records, Clarke shoots under par in Mobile

Western Kentucky’s women’s golf team had quite the moving day as two golfers shot under par Sunday in the USA Intercollegiate in Mobile, Ala.

After round two of South Alabama’s USA Intercollegiate, WKU is in fifth after finishing the day at 3-over par, 291 for a two-day total of 6-over, 582.

On Sunday, Sarah Arnold continued to make Lady Topper program history, birdieing three of her last four holes to finish at 3-under 69 on the day and 7-under 137 on the tournament thus far.

Arnold’s 36-hole score is the lowest ever shot by a Lady Topper, beating the previous record of 139 set by current teammates Mary Joiner and Megan Clarke. Arnold sits in second, only two shots back from current leader and Conference USA foe, UAB’s Tia Teiniketo.

Moving up 25 spots on the leaderboard, Clarke recorded three birdies at the par-72, 6,157-yard RTG Magnolia Grove – Crossings Course on Sunday. The junior shot 1-under 71 to move up to T18 in individual standings.

Rounding out the scoring for WKU were seniors Abbie Smee and Joiner. Smee shot 3-over 75 for the second day in a row and is currently tied for 43rd. Joiner sits at T38 after shooting 4-over 76 in the second round.

Sophomore Lizzie Loy improved her score by three shots Sunday, shooting 78.

Lady Topper junior Olivia Reed shot 2-over 74 for the second day in a row for a 36-hole total of 148. She sits at T29 on the overall leaderboard and has the second-best score for golfers competing as individuals.

Senior Bailey Tyree is WKU’s other Lady Topper competing as an individual at the tournament. Tyree shot 80 in the second round for a day-two total of 158.

WKU is only two shots off second place as UAB continues to lead the pack at 3-under 285. The final day of competition Monday will be in a shotgun start format.

Lady Tops solid in tennis opener at Austin Peay

Western Kentucky women’s tennis players Lisa Friess, Laura Bernardos and Lucia Diaz Saez opened the fall season by advancing through their respective brackets at the two-day APSU Invitational on Friday and Saturday in Clarksville, Tenn.

In Flight 2 of singles, senior Friess fell to Belmont’s Drew Hawkins in a-second set tiebreaker in her first match. Friess won her next three matches to win the consolation side of the bracket. Friess defeated singles opponents from Southeastern Missouri and host Austin Peay.

Doubles pair Bernardos and Diaz Saez started their weekend with a bye. They were then quick to defeat a doubles pair from Murray State in the second round of the Flight 2 doubles bracket.

The Spanish duo won a tight matchup against a Belmont tandem in 7-6 fashion to advance to the final round. In the championship match, the Lady Toppers fell to Southeastern Missouri 6-1.

Every WKU newcomer picked up at least two victories. Redshirt sophomore Lauren Joch won two single matches, one against Belmont and another against Chattanooga. Joch teamed up with Tristen Bryant-Otake for doubles and the pair also won two matches.

As a singles competitor in the third flight, Bryant-Otake defeated her Belmont opponent in straight sets.

Sophomore Zoe Wende won two singles matches while junior Cora-Lynn Freiin Von Dungern picked up one singles victory and one doubles win as she competed alongside Friess.

WKU will be back in action Friday and Saturday at the North Alabama Invite in Florence, Ala.