By Cort Reynolds

The Bluffton High School girls soccer team pulled away late and shut out visiting Spencerville 3-0 in their Northwest Conference opener Monday night at Steinmetz Field.

The Pirate girls improved to 1-1-1 overall and 1-0 in NWC play as they began defense of their league title with a win. The scrappy Bearcat girls dropped to 0-3 and 0-2 in league play with the loss.

Ella Armstrong put Bluffton ahead with a goal in the 18th minute off an assist by Blair Utendorf.

The tight contest stayed 1-0 until the final five minutes when Bluffton scored twice to put the game out of reach.

Nora Matthews found the back of the net off another Utendorf assist in the 76th minute to provide a 2-0 lead. 

Two minutes later, Pirate Audra Snyder tallied off an Aubrey Burkholder dish to seal the verdict.

Bluffton put 15 of its 22 shots on goal. Spencerville directed just two shots on goal.

Pirate keeper Kynzie Ewing made a pair of saves in goal. Jenna Wannemacher (eight) and Hanna Stirn (four) combined for a dozen Bearcat saves.

Bluffton hosts WBL foe Celina Saturday, September 2 at 11:45 a.m. on the pitch of Steinmetz Field.