SOU women record highest goal total in 3 years
Published 6:00 pm Monday, August 26, 2024
- Southern Oregon's Cora Thorndike celebrates scoring a goal during Monday's 6-0 win over Pacific Union in Ashland.
ASHLAND — The Southern Oregon women’s soccer team posted its highest goals total since 2021 in Monday afternoon’s 6-0 win against Pacific Union (Calif.), scoring three in each half and four unassisted at Raider Stadium.
Skyler Coleman, Lucia Finney, Ava Johnson, Cora Thorndike and Cadence Wilson each tallied the first goals of their careers, and Brooklyn Hayes was responsible for the other as the Raiders moved to 2-0 with their second straight clean sheet.
The one-sided affair saw them mount a 21-2 advantage in total shots. Senior keeper Ashlynn Hernandez didn’t need to make a save to log her 22nd career shutout.
Johnson, a freshman, opened the floodgates in the 18th minute by going one-on-one for a shot 10 yards up the end line and wide of the right post, getting enough on inside the left post even after PUC keeper Jayleen Casillas’ deflection. Wilson was next in the 28th with a short attempt set up by Kaylah Bresee’s corner kick, and two minutes later Thorndike took a cross from Frida Vargas for a strike that made it 3-0.
Coleman and Hayes each came up with loose balls to set up their second-half looks from the right side, and Finney intercepted a defender’s pass to get her clean look.
The Pioneers, matching up with the Raiders for the first time, dropped to 0-2. Casillas kept the game from getting uglier by making six saves.
SOU plays its third and final nonconference home game at 10 a.m. Thursday, hosting Arizona Christian.