ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - The Bethel University women's soccer team opened up their 2015 season in style with an 8-2 victory over the visiting North Central University Rams. Mikayla Nordin led the scoring for Bethel with three goals while five other Royals scored a single goal a piece. The Royals outshot the Rams 34-4 in the game.

After several near misses in the first 15 minutes of the game, Mikala Smith broke the ice for Bethel, banging one in at 16:04. Bethel then capitalized on the majority of their opportunities from then out. Nordin scored the first of her three goals before AddieKay Johnson sent a beautiful, long range shot over the NCU goalie for her first career goal. Senior Blythe Whealy tallied next for the Royals for their fourth goal in a nine minute span.  Nordin added another goal just two-and-a-half minutes later to make it 5-0. NCU's Dakotah Sparmann got the Rams on the board with just over four minutes remaining in the first half. Bethel answered the goal before the half came to a close however, with Deanna Voss scoring with two-and-a-half minutes remaining in the half.

Bethel wasted little time scoring in the second half as Nordin scored her third goal just under three minutes into the half. Sydney Wight finished the scoring for the Royals with her first career goal at 76:20 mark. Sparmann, a NCAA Division I transfer from Arkansas-Little Rock, scored her second goal of the game for North Central and sixth of the early season with nine minutes remaining in the game for the final score of 8-2.

A pair of goaltenders contributed to the Bethel shutout as Kathryn McGaffey played the first half and Jess Gapinski played the second.

The Royals return to action Saturday afternoon when they host Elmhurst College at 1 p.m. at the Ona Orth Athletic Complex.