MORAGA, Calif. - The Saint Mary's women's soccer team capped off a busy Saturday on campus with a dominant four goal victory over San Diego to even out their record at 6-6-3 overall and improve to 3-2-2 in WCC play. The Gaels are in their best form of the season as they finish the month of October with an impressive 3-1-2 record and climb into a tie for fifth place, just three points off of the top spot in the conference.
Four different players would find the back of the net for the Gaels including
Micaela Romo,
Sydney Middaugh,
Tessa Salvestrin and
Emily Johnson in the 90th minute for her first career goal.
Kate Plachy would record her sixth shutout of the season to tie the conference lead and also ranks fifth in goals allowed (16).
FIRST HALF SMC 1-0 USD
Head coach
Theresa Romagnolo would only make one change from the team's 2-0 victory over San Francisco the week prior and give sophomore forward
Isabel Lendman her first start of the season. Lendman scored her first collegiate goal last week against the Dons and finished today's match with three shots and 49 minutes of action.
Once again the Gaels offense got off to a fast start with 12 total shots in the first half. After relentless pressure in San Diego's defensive half, they would break through in the 39th minute as Romo was played into the box and slotted a beautiful left footed shot into the bottom corner for her second goal of the season.
Jessie Hawes would apply pressure in the Toreros build up and force the initial ball loss. As a result,
Sydney Middaugh would pick up the loose ball at the top of the box and find Romo for the finish. Middaugh would record her team leading third assist of the year.
Defensively, the Gaels backline only allowed two shots in the first 45 minutes and Plachy recorded just one save.
Khalia Gathright and
Amari Hicks continue to be stout defensively and would go on to play all 90 minutes in the match.
FINAL SMC 4-0 USD
It took just four minutes for Saint Mary's to double their lead in the second half as Middaugh would net her third goal of the season with a terrific header to the far corner off a cross from
Molly Silva. Silva came off the bench for Saint Mary's and finished with 60 solid minutes of action. She won the loose ball in the Toreros half and then put in a beautiful cross to find the head of Middaugh, her first assist of the season.
The Gaels would add on with
Tessa Salvestrin's eighth goal of the season in the 71st minute. Off a free kick near midfield, the ball would be flicked on by Romo and Salvestrin would take it into the box and rifle a left footed shot past the keeper. Salvestrin ranks third in the WCC with eight goals and fifth with 45 shots on the year.
To wrap up a near flawless performance, Romagnolo would help create a wonderful moment for four-year senior
Emily Johnson who got subbed into the match in the final five minutes of regulation. Johnson would put her right foot through a loose ball on a corner kick and find the side netting with just 40 seconds remaining for her first career goal.
Romo would take the corner and find the head of junior midfielder
Amaya Simoni-Walters, who was also subbed in late in the match, and her header would fall to Johnson who put it home for the team's fourth goal of the game. Saint Mary's has now scored four goals in a match twice this season and they finished with a season high 29 shots.
Plachy did not have to make a save in the final 45 minutes and Romo put together her best statistical performance of the season with a goal and two assists.
Emma Barthel,
Camryn Cruz and
Savannah Schwarze continue to be effective in the team's midfield and pose problems for opposing teams both offensively and defensively. The Gaels find themselves in a tie for fifth place with Portland at 11 points and are just a win away from Santa Clara, Pepperdine and Oregon State who sit at the top of the standings with four conference wins.
LOOKING AHEAD
Saint Mary's improves to 6-6-3 overall and 3-2-2 in WCC play with their shutout victory over the Toreros. They will hit the road next Saturday to take on Pacific at 4:30 PM. Watch the game live on ESPN+ and get your tickets online at smcgaels.com.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
