It was a night of firsts for the women’s soccer team and the college.

It was the first Division II game for the soccer program.

It was the first Division II home game for the program.

It was the first Division II home game for any athletic program at Ferrum.

And in the end, it was the first Division II victory for any program in the college’s history–a convincing thudding of Shaw University 4-0.

Athletic Director Cleive Adams reflected on the moment.

“It was absolutely huge for Women’s Soccer and for our athletics,” Adams said. “This is the first victory at the Division 2 level in the history of the athletic program, and it will go down in history forever.”

Head Coach Erin Saleeby was equally celebratory of the outcome.

“It was significant on so many levels!” she beamed. “It’s insane. Just the ability to be the first D2 win! It’s pretty cool. It will always be that!”

And with 14 first-year players on a roster of 30, almost half the team was new, untested, and going into a new opponent. To say Saleeby was pleased is putting it mildly.

“I mean, there’s always going to be nervousness,” she said. “We’ve also been here for a month and only had one scrimmage. And I knew we had some talent, but I wasn’t sure. It’s hard to know.”

The indecision was replaced by a victorious grin.

“Just the ability to be the first D2 win is pretty cool,” she said. “It will always be that. It will always be that.”

Saleeby also noted that the significance of a victory and what it would mean for the school and program really didn’t get talked about until game day.

“It was just something that was sitting there,” she said. “And we started talking about it, and we said, ‘We could be this.'”

By all indications, the players took it to heart. It didn’t even take 10 minutes for the Panthers to net their first points.

At the 8:02 mark, Breanna Herlihy, sophomore, etched her name into Ferrum history when she became the first Panther–male or female–to score a Division II goal for the Panthers. Moreover, Jessie Howison, junior, because the first Panther in school history–male or female–to provide an assist and put the Panther up 1-0.

An ecstatic Herlihy was all smiles post-game.

“All my teammates just helped me get to that point,” she said. “It was so fun playing with everyone and finally being able to play.”

Howison was equally taken by the moment.

“It’s crazy, but I’m really happy that we were able to get a good lead on the team, keep the momentum going, and keep adding goals,” she said.

The second goal came a little more than 22 minutes later when Herlihy set up first-year Macy Taylor for the first of her two goals on the night.

The Panthers rode the 2-0 lead into half time and then picked up right where they left off–with Taylor adding to the point total.

At the 62:17 mark, Anna Milliron, senior, fed the ball to Taylor, who racked up goal number three for the Panthers to make it 3-0.

Peyton Fularon, first-year, rounded out the scoring for the ladies, when she reeled in an assist from Summer Stevens, first-year and sealed the Panther victory at the 70:58 mark.

“I am so proud of Coach Saleeby and Coach Wes and these young ladies,” Adams said. “It was just a phenomenal win and a dominating performance on top of that!”

Saleeby’s squad will square off against Shaw University at home again this Wednesday night at 7 p.m.