Haugland hat trick helps propel Falcons at Lake Forest
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The CUW women's soccer team took care of business on Wednesday night at Lake Forest. The Falcons drummed the Foresters to the tune of a 6-1 victory to improve to 3-0-0 on the year. The Blue and White are starting the year off with a 3-0-0 record for the first time since 2001. Lake Forest falls to 3-2-1 on the year with the loss.
"Another great collective performance," said head coach Ryan Middendorf. "It was great to see how our team responded to being down, 0-1. I am really proud of how our group followed up a big win from last week."
The Foresters struck first with a shot to the far post in the 19th minute.
Falcons threatened after the goal with a shot from junior Alexandra Tomich (Mission Viejo, Calif.) that rang off the cross bar.
In the 32nd minute, junior Kaeley Sterkel (Dana Point, Calif.) made a diving save and set up a breakaway opportunity. Freshman Karoline Haugland (Bergen, Norway) then threw the ball past the keeper off some key passes. Freshman Selena Esten (Cedarburg, Wis.) was credited with the assist.
The two teams went into halftime tied at one, but the Falcons would blow open the game in the second half.
Freshman Katelyn Ries (Upland, Calif.) started the second-half scoring with her first career goal at CUW in the 54th minute.
Nine minutes later, Selena Esten earned her first goal of her Falcon career off a pass from Karoline Haugland.
Haugland struck again in the 71st minute, scoring off a pass from Selena Esten.
Karoline Haugland completed the hat trick five minutes later to put the Blue and White up 5-1.
Sophomore Isabel Downs (Menomonee Falls, Wis.) closed the scoring in the 79th minute to close the scoring.
The Falcons outshot the Foresters on Wednesday, 24-8. Alexandra Tomich and Karoline Haugland led the flock with six shots each.
Kaeley Sterkel secured four saves in the victory.
The five goals in the second half are the most in a half since Oct. 28, 2018, when the Blue and White dropped eight goals in the first half against Alverno.
The Falcons look to keep the ball rolling on Saturday in the home opener against the Belles of Saint Mary's.