The Illinois State soccer team broke out for an impressive 5-0 shutout win at North Florida on Friday evening, improving to 5-4 on the season. Junior Abby Basler posted her second career hat trick in the victory, with redshirt sophomore Sarah LaFayette and senior Alix McArthur each adding goals of their own.
ISU's five goals were the most goals scored by the team since Sept. 2, 2018's 5-2 win over UIC.
"Tonight was a complete team performance," said head coach Brad Silvey. "Everyone contributed and did their job, which earned an incredible road result. Just incredibly proud of our team mentality to commit to the game plan and execute in such a fierce fashion. It's also exciting to see so many new contributors on the stat sheet at this time of the season - it shows our depth and how dangerous we can be in all areas of the field."
The offensive dominance started early, with Basler collecting the ball about 30 yards out and launching a long, arching shot over the keeper and under the crossbar to put the 'Birds ahead in the 11th minute. The goal was Basler's first of the season.
LaFayette would double the score for the Redbirds 13 minutes later, charging at the keeper and chipping it over her head when she came off her line. The shot ricocheted off the crossbar and into the goal, with LaFayette following her shot and tapping it in to be safe. That goal was LaFayette's first since Oct. 7, 2017, as she redshirted the 2018 season.
Basler's second goal was a result of a one-touch forward pass into the box from McArthur. Basler jumped on the ball and slotted it into the lower right corner to put ISU up 3-0 before halftime.
The scoring resumed in the second half, with goals coming just two minutes apart in the 58th and 60th minutes. This time around, Basler assisted McArthur, sending in a ball from out wide that McArthur redirected into the lower left corner for her first goal of the year.
Basler scored her third goal of the game in the 60th minute, rounding out the scoring for the Redbirds and completing her hat trick. Junior Natalie Vaughn-Low sent a ball ahead to Basler, who in turn directed it towards the lower right post. This is the second time Basler has had a hat trick at ISU, the last occurring on Oct. 1, 2016 at Chicago State. She finished the night with 7 points (3G, 1A).
This is also the second hat trick of the season for Illinois State, as senior Kate Del Fava also completed the feat at Iowa on Sept. 1.
Haley Smith and Jenny Scara both spent time in goal in the shutout, with Smith posting two saves and Scara adding one.
"It was a massive team effort to secure the shutout," added Silvey. "Ashley Santos, Megan McEachern, Alissa Ramsden, and Smith were hard-nosed in their defending and very sharp in their distributing."
UP NEXT
The 'Birds shift their focus to Sunday's match at Stetson. Kickoff with the Hatters is set for 10 a.m.
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