Freshman Alexa Fryer led the Baker University women’s soccer team Friday by scoring the first two goals of the game, helping the Wildcats to a 4-3 win over John Brown University.

John Brown cut the deficit in half by scoring its first goal just seconds before halftime.

“The disappointing thing was giving up a goal with five seconds left in the first half,” head coach Nate Houser said. “We took a couple moments off and got punished for it. It really turned a game that was less difficult into one that was much more difficult.”

The Golden Eagles scored one more goal to even the score before Baker retook the lead after one of John Brown’s defenders deflected the ball into her own goal.

“You put the balls where goals can be scored and it doesn’t matter who kicks it in,” Houser said. “We’ll take it.”

With seven minutes left in the game, senior Alix Schiraldi scored to give BU a 4-2 advantage and seal the deal. John Brown scored again two minutes later to make it 4-3, but its comeback fell short.

Schiraldi leads the Wildcats with five goals for the season, despite multiple defenders guarding her.

“(Schiraldi) is taking up a lot of space. (Teams are) marking her with two or three players,” Houser said.

Houser thinks Fryer has helped to step up into the open space Schiraldi creates when being followed.

Fryer believes the Wildcat’s positivity and motivation to do well have helped her make the transition to playing at the collegiate level.

“I’ve adjusted pretty well (to college soccer),” Fryer said. “The coach(es) and the team have definitely helped make it an easier transition.”

Houser thinks the younger members on the team are adjusting to college soccer, but the newness of the team is what is causing mistakes on the field, and it will take experience to learn from them.

“It’s not a fault thing, it is just we’re new,” Houser said. “Our decision-making is getting better, but there are still moments.”

Baker is 3-1 after playing its first four games on the road and is ready to play its first few games of the season in Baldwin City for the weekend.

“We’re really excited to get the chance to play at home,” Houser said.

The Wildcats will take on Oklahoma Baptist University at 3 p.m. Friday for their first home game of the season. The ’Cats will play at home again at 4 p.m. Sunday against the Braves of Ottawa University.

Both matchups will be played at North Park.

“I think that we can definitely go a really long way in this season and we have high hopes for where we want to go,” Fryer said.