Check out photos from the match! (Credit Denis Concordel)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – At the midway points of the conference season, No. 11 Santa Clara women's soccer roughed-up San Francisco 9-0. The win puts the Broncos at 11-3-1 overall and 5-0-0 in West Coast Conference action while the Dons are now 5-8-3 overall and 0-4-1 in conference.
The Broncos return to the field on Fri., Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. vs. LMU before hosting Senior Day Sun., Nov. 3 at 1 p.m. vs. Pepperdine.
"I thought the team played really well and shots on goal was the key today," said Santa Clara head coach Jerry Smith. "We've had other games with 15-25 shots and ended up with one or two goals. The first half line was one of the best we've had with 11 shots and eight on goal. Any time you can get that high a percentage of your shots on goal, you're going to score. I'm very pleased with not only the goal scoring but with the general play. Anytime you can get a shutout, you'll take it. I'm happy that we're scoring goals, posting shutouts, and have a lot of people contributing."
Santa Clara outshot San Francisco 21-5 and 14-3 in shots on goal. Morgan Marlborough led the offense with a hat trick while Sarah Jackson scored twice. Jordan Jesolva, Sofia Huerta, Julie Johnston and Ellie Rice each added one goal apiece. Huerta and Johnston had two assists each while Marlborough had one. Andi Tostanoski made two saves in net and had an assist.
The Broncos scored first in the 11th minute off the foot of Rice. Marlborough gained control of the ball inside the box and passed to Rice who was running towards the goal. Rice then shot the ball that got a piece of the goalkeeper but managed to make it inside the right post.
Santa Clara scored again in the 27th minute to make the score 2-0. Johnston passed the ball to Jesolva outside the box and Jesolva took a touch before blasting a perfectly placed shot past the goalkeeper and into the upper left corner of the net.
In the 39th minute Santa Clara extended its lead to 3-0 on a beautiful play form Huerta and Marlborough. Huerta dribbled down the field and into the box, drawing the Dons' defense before leaving a pass for Marlborough. Marlborough took a touch and rocketed her shot into the back of the net.
Johnston scored her 10th of the season in the 44th minute to put the lead at 4-0. Huerta chipped a pass over the defense to put Johnston one-on-one with the goalkeeper and Johnston was able to beat the keeper for the fourth Bronco goal of the game.
Santa Clara outshot San Francisco 11-1 and 8-1 in shots on goal in the first half. Four Broncos scored a goal in the first half while three registered assists. Tostanoski had one save on the lone San Francisco shot of the half.
Marlborough added her second of the match in the 52nd minute from Tostanoski. Tostanoski booted the ball down the field and Marlborough gained control on the USF half of the field, She dribbled down the field and lined up a left-footed shot from outside the 18-yard box that she blasted into the right part of the net.
Minutes later Johnston was tackled in the box for a penalty kick. Marlborough took the free kick and completed the hat trick to make the score 6-0.
In the 62nd minute Jackson found the back of the net for the seventh Santa Clara goal of the match. The Dons failed to clear the ball and Jackson got the ball at her feet, just inside the box, before blasting a low shot into the left side of the goal.
Huerta added to the lead in the 63rd minute. Johnston sent a pass to Huerta on the right side of the field. Huerta dribbled in and connected with the left side of the goal for the eighth Santa Clara score of the day.
Jackson added her second of the match in the 70th minute on a failed clear. The ball came down to Jackson's feet at the edge of the box and she fired a hard shot into the net to make the score 9-0.
Game Notes: Attendance was 762 … It was the second hat trick of the season for Marlborough … The nine goals was the most for Santa Clara since a 9-1 win at San Jose State on Aug. 31, 2003 … It was also the most goals at home since back-to-back 9-0 wins vs. Evansville and Alabama on Oct. 1 and Oct. 3, 1999 … The nine-goal difference was the most since a 10-0 win at Gonzaga on Oct. 14, 2001.
