Freshman Jessica Wright scored two goals in the first half, and the UCSB women’s soccer ran all over University of Illinois-Chicago, 7-0, on Sunday at the UNLV Invitational in Las Vegas.
Wright took a feed from senior right back Mallory Hromatko and put her shot away for a 2-0 lead in the 38th minute. She scored an unassisted goal just before halftime to give the Gauchos a 3-0 advantage.
Jessica Clegg slotted home the first goal in the 20th minute off assists from Shaelan Murison and Sydney Magnin.
Murison kept up the fast-paced attack going in the second half, getting a double of her own with goals five minutes apart in the 51st and 56th minutes.
She then collected her second assist of the day on senior forward Jessica Parque’s goal to extend the advantage to six just one minute later.
In the final minute of the match, freshman forward Sarah Arnaudon scored the seventh and final goal off an assist from sophomore midfielder Julia Kappes.
Their seven-goal margin of victory is the largest since their 8-0 win over Idaho on October 31, 2003.
The Gauchos return to Harder Stadium to kick off a doubleheader with the men’s team on Friday night, taking on Boise State at 5:30 p.m. The men play St. John’s at 7:30 p.m.