Women's Soccer 10/14/2012 7:46:00 PM SUU Strategic Communication

Thunderbirds Earn First Big Sky Win at North Dakota

GRAND FORKS, N.D., 10/14/12 – Southern Utah picked up its first Big Sky Conference win on Sunday in convincing fashion as it took a 3-0 victory over North Dakota. The Thunderbirds got goals from freshmen Sydney Cook and Mackenzie Moreno, as well as senior Stacey Brinkman whose score moved her atop the SUU record book with 18 career goals.

“I am proud of our team's effort today. It is very difficult to play in double overtime, wake up, fly and then play the next day,” explained SUU head coach Becky Hogan. “The efforts of our girls in the weight room and conditioning is paying off big time. The knowledge, enthusiasm and commitment to excellence demonstrated by our strength coach Mike Cazayoux is rubbing off on them.”

Neither team was able to notch a goal in the opening half, but the Thunderbirds established themselves as the aggressors with a 7-6 shooting advantage in the period.

Southern Utah kept up the pressure into the second half until Cook broke through the UND defense to score her second goal of the season. The freshman forward used a charging header to redirect a cross from Kristy Hendrickson into the back of the net to put the T-Birds out in front 1-0 in the seventieth minute.

The Thunderbirds continued to press the attack and seven minutes later Moreno was able to find the back of the net for her first career goal. The freshman defender collected a loose ball in the top right corner of the box and beat the goalkeeper with a shot to put her team up by a count of 2-0.

SUU wasn't done yet as Brinkman and Cook connected for a third Thunderbird goal in the match's final minute. The score moved Brinkman into a tie with Shaley Ipson Allen for first place in program history with 18 career goals and was her team-leading fourth of the season.

Charly Booth made six saves in the game to post her first shutout of the season and freshman Madison Wood led SUU with four shots. As a team the Thunderbirds held a 17-10 advantage in the shot column and took 12 corner kicks, the second-highest total in program history.

“We still have three games to go and our focus is on the upcoming 'Soccer Kicks Cancer' game and what that means to several of us personally,” stated Hogan. “As well as the significance of playing Montana, who currently sits near the top of the conference.”

The conference victory helps Southern Utah improve to 1-5-1 in Big Sky play as well as 2-9-2 overall while UND falls to 0-7-0 and 2-11-1 respectively. The Thunderbirds now prepare to close out the season with a three game homestand that is set to get underway this Friday at 3p.m. as SUU hosts the University of Montana.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Charly Booth: GK; 5' 8"; Senior

#7 Stacey Brinkman: F; 5' 8"; Senior

#3 Sydney Cook: F; 5' 7"; Freshman

#15 Kristy Hendrickson: D; 5' 10"; Junior

#12 Mackenzie Moreno: D; 5' 5"; Freshman

#11 Madison Wood: F; 5' 5"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#1 Charly Booth
: 5' 8"; Senior
: GK

#7 Stacey Brinkman
: 5' 8"; Senior
: F

#3 Sydney Cook
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: F

#15 Kristy Hendrickson
: 5' 10"; Junior
: D

#12 Mackenzie Moreno
: 5' 5"; Freshman
: D

#11 Madison Wood
: 5' 5"; Freshman
: F