Poplar Bluff's Jackie LeGrand (8) shoots past Kennett defender Rachel Henderson (7) during the first half Tuesday at Whiteley Park. At right is Alex West. LeGrand scored and had an assist. (Brian Rosener/DAR)

By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor

Like a lot of her teammates, Poplar Bluff freshman Allie Thomas was dealing with a cranky body part that was not looking forward to playing a second game in as many days.

For Thomas, it was a sore knee. Her coach's advice? An ice bath.

Poplar Bluff's Morgan Allen, left, passes ahead to Allie Thomas during the first half Tuesday. (Brian Rosener/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

"That's the only thing that got me through my senior year of college," Lady Mules coach Mark Papp said. "Quite ironic that the three bags of ice were more significant than we thought."

Thomas used three bags of ice and scored three times Tuesday as the Lady Mules beat visiting Kennett 9-0.

After the game, Thomas was trying to sell senior Chelsea Garner, who scored twice and had two assists, on the idea of a pre-game ice bath.

"I'd have to say an ice bath (works) but scoring goals feels pretty good," Thomas said. "So coach says I have to take an ice bath before every game now."

Whatever the Lady Mules (5-4) have done the last two days they need to keep doing it. They've outscored opponents 14-1 after scoring just 16 goals through the first seven games and won consecutive games for the first time this season.

Jenni Hubbard and Jackie LeGrand each scored for the second time in as many games while freshmen Katie Godwin and Julia Ward each scored their first career goals Tuesday.

Poplar Bluff goalie Meagan Stucker, who has held five out of her last six opponents to one goal, recorded her first shutout of the season. The junior was not tested in the first half while Jerica Wawak played the second half in goal.

LeGrand, Ward and Miranda Burroughs each picked up assists for Poplar Bluff, which is now 5-0 in games when scoring two or more times. All four of Poplar Bluff 's losses have come against state-ranked teams -- Jackson, ranked 11th in Class 2; and Notre Dame, ranked fourth in Class 1.

"We've played well against them but you're not going to get the opportunity to score a whole lot of goals against them," said Papp of a pair of 1-0 losses last week. "I feel like we're moving in the right direction in the last two games, creating chances against good teams.

"Tonight, we were able to create quite a few more."

It was all Poplar Bluff from the opening kickoff Tuesday after an 8-1 April Fool's Day win in the first meeting.

Kennett goalie Alexandra Brown stopped 18 shots but the Lady Mules scored their first three goals in the span of 9 minutes starting with Garner's eighth goal of the season in the sixth minute.

Garner scored again 6 minutes later on a shot that hit the far post and bounced in. The senior then set up Thomas for her first goal in the 15th minute when the freshman redirected Garner's cross with her left foot.

Hubbard made it 4-0 on her goal off Miranda Burroughs' pass after Morgan Allen started the attack by playing the ball back to Burroughs.

"The more passes you connect, the more opportunities you get in behind (the defense)," Thomas said.

Leading 4-0 at halftime, Papp said he wanted to see a more tactical approach to scoring in the second half.

"Athletic ability and skill is not going to beat higher quality teams by itself " Papp said.

Three minutes into the second half Garner set

Thomas who dribbled around up the goalie , and scored, before Thomas made it 6-0 in the 47th minute with her sixth goal of the season.

LeGrand scored with 11 minutes left in the on a cross from Ward who game was playing her first varsity , game and scored her first career goal in the final minute.

Godwin scored when her shot bounced off the crossbar twice after pouncing on a rebound from LeGrand's shot with 6 minutes left.

"We're hoping we could create some chances by playing a team Papp said. "I didn't necessarily think we did a great job of in the first (half) but in the second, I thought it was better."

Notes: There was no junior varsity game. … The Lady Mules have won 10 of their last 18 games dating back to the end of last season but have never won more than nine in a single season. … The Lady Mules' goals-against average dropped to 1.56 after Tuesday. … Poplar Bluff's last winning streak was in 2005 when the Lady Mules won four straight to finish 8-10-2. … Poplar Bluff travels to Perryville for a tournament starting Thursday.