EDWARDSVILLE – Entering Tuesday’s Southwestern Conference game against the Alton Redbirds, Edwardsville coach Abby Federmann wasn’t quite sure what she was going to get from her team.

After all, the Tigers hadn’t played a game since an emotional 2-1 win over O’Fallon in penalty kicks on April 15.

“I was telling my assistant that I have so much anxiety coming into all of these games and I was a little bit concerned after we played so hard in our first two games and then had a week off,” Federmann said. “I didn’t know if we were going to come out fired up or flat.”

Edwardsville scored all four of its goals in the first half en route to a 4-0 win over shorthanded Alton inside the District 7 Sports Complex.

The Tigers are now 3-0, including 3-0 in the SWC, while the Redbirds fall to 1-3, including 1-2 in the SWC.

Jadyn Renth scored a pair of goals, while Olivia Baca and Campbell Slemmer each had a goal. Slemmer, Anna Singh and Brynn Miracle each had an assist.

“This means a lot,” Renth said. “We did extremely well and were able to control the ball. We knew where each other were out there tonight.”

Like the Tigers, the Redbirds hadn’t played since April 17 but for a different reason then Mother Nature.

Due to a positive COVID test within the program, Alton had to shut down practices for 10 days. Monday was the first day it returned.

“We were flat-footed, and I was concerned about that,” Alton coach Gwen Sabo said. “We still don’t have everybody back, as we’re still missing six or seven players. In the junior varsity game, we only had 10 players without any subs. We were low on bodies tonight.”

Edwardsville took advantage.

The Tigers jumped out to a 1-0 lead five minutes in on Slemmer’s first varsity goal.

Renth, a junior, then scored two straight to extend the lead to 3-0.

On the first goal, Renth took a pass from Slemmer and streaked in on a breakaway. She buried a shot into the left corner for the 2-0 lead ten minutes into action.

“I took a first touch and had the breakaway. I just needed to find a corner,” Renth said.

In the 16th minute, Renth found herself in the right spot at the right time.

Sitting on the back post, Renth finished off a cross from Brynn Miracle for the 3-0 lead.

“I saw the cross and I wanted to be there just in case it got through. Luckily, it came right to me,” Renth said.

Before the half was over, Olivia Baca drilled a PK goal to make it 4-0. It was her third goal in as many games.

The four-goal first half was Edwardsville’s biggest since it scored four in the second half of a 7-1 win over O’Fallon on May 9, 2017.

“We just had to hit them hard and fast. That’s exactly what we did,” Renth said.

Though Alton couldn’t break the shutout over the final 40 minutes, Sabo was happy to see her team find their footing in the second half.

“We definitely fixed some things at halftime,” Sabo said. “I think giving up four goals was a wake-up call. We haven’t given up four goals in a half in a long time. The girls fixed some things and I was happy we at least held them to a shutout in the second half.”

Kaitlyn Naney and Lainey Wiegers split the shutout in goal for Edwardsville. Naney played the first 75 minutes.

It was the second shutout of the season for the Tigers, who emptied their bench in the second half.

“It was an awesome opportunity for me to be able to see my bench come in and not change the pace of the game,” Federmann said.

The Tigers will continue their stretch of SWC games to start the season with a road game at Collinsville up next at 6:45 p.m. Thursday.

Edwardsville defeated Collinsville 1-0 on a late goal by Baca in the season-opener for both teams on April 13 in a game that came less than 10 days after teams could begin practicing.

“We came together really quick and got to know each other really well,” Renth said. “It’s been really good so far.”

Alton gets little time to regroup before hosting Belleville East at 6:45 p.m. Thursday.

It’s still better than the alternative, according to Sabo.

“I’m not happy we lost 4-0, but this beats last spring and sitting at home,” Sabo said. “Everyone is excited we get to have a season and it’s still early in the season with plenty of games left to be played.”