NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – Vandal soccer defeated CSUN 5-1 on Thursday evening at Matador Soccer Field. Idaho improved to 4-1-1 overall and 3-0 on the road. Hannah Alfaro recorded five points with an assist and her first career brace.
Four Vandals scored in tonight's victory over CSUN. The 5-1 win is the largest margin since the Vandals defeated Portland State 5-0 (3/21/20). Alyssa Peters recorded two assists in the match, moving up to No. 6 all-time with 15 career assists. Both Alfaro and Margo Schoesler had at least one assist and one goal.
The Vandals wasted no time getting on the scoreboard against the Matadors. Only 20 seconds into the match, Alfaro scored her first goal of the game. The build-up started off the kick-off with a long ball into the Matadors' back line. Alfaro won the ball back and found Annika Farley on the right side. Farley switched the point of attack to Schoesler on the left side. As Alyssa Peters made a run down the side, Schoesler laid the ball into space for her to run onto. Peters sent the ball into the box right in Alfaro's path. Alfaro contacted the ball with her head, hitting it over the keeper's reach. The goal is the second fastest in Idaho history. The fastest was in 19 seconds against Portland State in 2007.
Schoesler doubled the lead in the 17th minute, beating the keeper one-on-one. Alfaro ignited the drive in the midfield, finding the feet of Karli Yoshida-Williams. Yoshida-Williams slotted a ball through CSUN's defense into Schoesler's stride. Schoesler baited the keeper to the left and then tapped the ball into the net.
The freshman, Izzy Thoma knotted her second goal of the season from distance in the 27th minute. Maya Hamilton threw in the ball from the right-hand side to the feet of Kylie Hummel. Hummel one-touch passed it back to Thoma in the midfield. Thoma collected the ball, took one touch, and then launched it from distance into the opposite corner.
CSUN came out in the second half ready to challenge the Vandals. The Matadors scored their first game of the season in the 49th minute. The Matador momentum did not last as Jadyn Hanks responded less than 10 minutes later. With her second assist of the game, Peters found Hanks down the middle of the field. Hanks turned on the wheels and beat the defensive line to the ball. With the keeper out of position, Hanks slotted it into the lower right corner for her second goal of the season.
Alfaro sealed the win with a final goal in the 68th minute. Makenzie Burks threw the ball into Alfaro's feet just outside the 18-yard box. Alfaro turned, took on her defender, and then slotted the ball through the traffic in front of the goal into the far-right side of the net.
The Vandals will rest and recover for the next two days before they take on UCSB on Sunday at noon.
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