FULLERTON, Calif. – Cal State Fullerton women's soccer handled the St. Mary's Gaels on Sunday evening as they earned a 5-1 victory off a hat trick by senior Nano Oronoz and a brace (two goals) from freshman Kristen Swales. The Titans scored five goals in a match for the first time since a 6-3 win against San Diego on Sept. 27, 2015.
Oronoz scored the first goal of the season for Cal State Fullerton (1-1) just six minutes into the match and the Titans never surrendered that lead. Junior forward Atlanta Primus played a delicious through ball to Oronoz in the 18-yard box, setting her up for a one-on-one with the St. Mary's (0-2) goalkeeper. Oronoz flicked the ball passed the goalkeeper to give CSF a 1-0 lead.
Head coach Demian Brown (@HCWsocc) gives his thoughts on the team's performance. #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/qKBuDjvaDY
— Titans Women's Soccer (@FullertonWSOC) August 20, 2018
Primus and Oronoz linked up once again in the 17th minute to give the Titans a 2-0 lead. Primus found Oronoz at the top of the box, Oronoz turned and fired with her left foot and buried it for her second of the match.
Oronoz completed the hat trick in the 72nd minute off a corner kick from freshman Kaya Hawkinson. Oronoz, surrounded by Titans and Gaels, it was a remarkable volley (kicked the ball out of the air) as she blasted it into the corner to put CSF up 4-1.
She is the first Titan to bag a hat trick since Christina Burkenroad against UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 5, 2015. Additionally, the last time a Titan had two assists in the same match was Samanta Koemans vs. CSUN on Oct. 10, 2017. Oronoz now has six career goals and Primus has 10 career assists.
Freshman Kristen Swales got onto the scoresheet for the first time as a collegian to put Fullerton up 3-0 before the halftime break. Sophomore Samantha McKenna took a shot that deflected off the crossbar, Swales recovered the loose ball and fired it past the goalkeeper for the goal.
Swales scored again in the 82nd off an assist by redshirt freshman Alyssa Shelton. She took a shot from straight on but at a distance and beat the keeper as she dove left but was unable to keep the ball out. CSF recorded 21 shots overall, 10 of which were on target (five goals, five saved).
.@NanoOronoz and @kswales13 talk about combining for all 5 Titan goals tonight in the win over St. Mary's. #TusksUp pic.twitter.com/JvwBLgfuhO
— Titans Women's Soccer (@FullertonWSOC) August 20, 2018
St. Mary's pulled one back in the 48th minute thanks to a goal from Jaylen Crim and an assist by Anyssa Dominguez. Dominguez played a through ball between the Titan defenders, Crim chased it down, was in on goal and calmly slotted it past the keeper into the net.
The Titans hit the road next to play at Washington on Friday at 5 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Network. The team then plays at Seattle University on Sunday at 2 p.m.
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