WSOC | Gaels Extend Record-Setting Shutout Streak to Five, Take Down USC 1-0

Sunday, August 30

Los Angeles, CA

2:00 PM

Saint Mary's College of California

3-0-2, 0-0-0

USC

1-3-1, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Saint Mary's (CA)	0	1	1
Southern California	0	0	0

Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner

WSOC | Gaels Extend Record-Setting Shutout Streak to Five, Take Down USC 1-0

8/30/2026 5:30:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score WSOC | Saint Mary's at USC Highlights, 8-30-26

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Saint Mary's women's soccer team put the nation on notice once again Sunday afternoon, taking down Big Ten member USC 1-0 after a 76th-minute goal from sophomore forward Ashlyn Vaughn, her third of the season. The Gaels are now unbeaten in their last 11 matches dating back to the 2025 season and have still not allowed a goal here in 2026.

Saint Mary's finished the 90 minutes with just five shots in another stout defensive effort. The breakthrough would come though in the 76th minute off a quick counterattacking strike. A loose ball in the middle of the field would find the feet of freshman Penelope Correa, who advanced it forward to transfer Lexi Chatterton. Chatterton then slipped in a darting Vaughn who got behind the Trojans backline and tucked the finish inside the right post to send the Gaels bench and faithful into a frenzy.

Soraya Souvanaphong got the start in goal once again and made a pair of saves in the first half, but the redshirt freshman would be forced to exit due to an injury in the 17th minute. 2025 WCC Goalkeeper of the Year Kate Plachy would come in for her season debut and not miss a beat, finishing the match with a season-high five saves and getting a share of her 19th career shutout. Saint Mary's pushed its program record to five shutouts to start a season and continue to ride a current 11-match unbeaten streak dating back to last season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Saint Mary's established consistent ball possession and some half chances early on in the match, but redshirt freshman goalkeeper Soraya Souvanaphong was called upon early, making a crucial double save in the 16th minute to keep USC off the scoreboard. Just a minute later following the double save, Souvanaphong would be forced to exit with a lower leg injury, forcing head coach Theresa Romagnolo to call upon Kate Plachy, who had been out with a shoulder injury to start the season.

The Gaels got to the half scoreless and then weathered the storm for most of the second half, defending 14 second-half shots from the Trojans. The backline has been sensational to start the season, but Plachy came up with five big saves as well, looking like her 2025 WCC Goalkeeper of the Year self for Saint Mary's. The Gaels knew they needed just one opportunity though, and they got that in the 76th minute off a turnover in the middle of the pitch. A loose ball would find the feet of Correa, who advanced it forward to Chatterton with some room to attack in front of USC's backline. Chatterton pushed the ball forward and then slipped in a crafty through ball with the outside of her foot, putting Vaughn in on goal. Vaughn extended beyond the backline and then put a right-footed shot just inside the right post to shock USC and give the Gaels a 1-0 lead.

USC continued to attack and create some dangerous chances over the final 15 minutes, but Saint Mary's held strong and kept the Trojans off the scoreboard to seal the 1-0 shutout victory. Plachy finished the afternoon with five saves and was a huge piece to the win as Saint Mary's extended its unbeaten streak to eleven games and has still not allowed a goal here in 2026.

GAME NOTES

The Gaels extended their unbeaten streak to 11 games, tying the 2nd-longest unbeaten run in program history, a run which dates back to the 2020-21 season.
Saint Mary's also extended its program record of shutouts to open a season to five games.
The Gaels picked up their first win over a Big Ten opponent since a 3-2 victory over Northwestern in 2011.
Vaughn now leads the Gaels with three goals this season and brings her career total to six over her two seasons.
Lexi Chatterton picked up her second assist in three games, now sitting at second on the team behind Graduate student Savannah Schwarze.
Goalkeeper Soraya Souvanaphong also extends her shutout streak to five in her first five collegiate games, sharing the shutout with Plachy after exiting due to an injury 17 minutes in.
Kate Plachy made her season debut for the Gaels, recording five saves in 73 minutes to help shut out the Trojans.
Five field players played all 90 minutes, including the Gaels' backline of Anna Emperador, Faith Gunter, Aleiyah Schexnayder and Molly Silva. Gunter now stands as the only Gael to not leave the pitch in 2026.
Saint Mary's entered the day as one of nine teams in Division I to have not allowed a goal this season.

LOOKING AHEAD

Saint Mary's will return to Moraga for a two-game homestand this coming week. The Gaels will first take on the Columbia Lions on Thursday, September 3rd at 5:00 p.m. Saint Mary's will then face the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks on Sunday, September 6th at 1:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at smcgaels.com/tickets, with both matches available to stream on ESPN+.

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