Michigan State University
4-0-2, 0-0-0
Queens (N.C.)
3-3-0, 0-0-0
Mathews’ Hat Trick Propels No. 5 Spartans to 6-0 Win Over Queens
9/5/2024 11:16:00 PM | Women's Soccer
EAST LANSING, Mich. - An Emily Mathews hat trick highlighted a dominant 6-0 victory for No. 5 Michigan State women's soccer Thursday night against Queens University of Charlotte at DeMartin Stadium.
MSU moves to 4-0-2 with the win, while Queens drops to 3-3.
The six-goal outing is MSU's best since a 6-0 win against Eastern Michigan on Aug. 31 last season. Mathews' hat trick is the first of the season for the Spartans and sixth in the last three seasons, following three-goal performances from Mackenzie Anthony and Jordyn Wickes in 2023. It marks her second career hat trick, her first coming on Sept. 19, 2021 against Nebraska while playing for Purdue.
"The schedule we have had shows we haven't been getting tons of reps in games because of the level of the opponent we have been playing," said head coach Jeff Hosler. "I think our team feels good about things. A lot of joy within the group and a lot of players played."
In total, seven Spartans found the scoresheet Thursday night, with graduate forward Meg Hughes adding a brace, her second of the season, and sophomore midfielder Bella Najera scoring the opening goal. Mathews also had an assist for a seven-point night, while Anthony, Sofia Beerworth, Justina Gaynor and freshmen Cassidy Corcione and Samantha Maroni tallied assists. Corcione and Maroni's assists were their first as Spartans.
In goal, redshirt junior Belle Okoroafo made her second start of the season and earned the win in a full 90 minutes of play.
MSU registered 29 shots in the game, including 12 on goal, and held the Royals to just one shot. The Spartans also held a 16-0 corner kick advantage.
The Spartans dominated from the first whistle, holding possession for nearly the entire game. After five shots in the opening 25 minutes, Najera got MSU onto the board with a shot from just inside the box in the 29th minute. Gaynor and Mathews added assists.
Following another flurry of shots from the Spartans, a foul in the penalty area by the Royals set Mathews up for her first goal of the night on a penalty kick in the 35th minute. Mathews wasted no time getting her second goal of the game after Maroni found her on the outer left of the box, sending in a high-flying ball to the top right of the net for a 3-0 MSU lead in the 37th minute.
Queens' lone shot of the game came in the 40th minute after a short offensive push by the Royals, but the shot was off-target. The Spartans followed with a pair of corner kicks and a shot from Wickes, but were unable to add to their 3-0 lead before the break.
Shortly after the second half got underway, Hughes scored her first goal of the game in the 49th minute after sending a cross from Beerworth over the Queens goalkeeper. The Spartans continued their relentless attack over the following minutes and eventually took a 5-0 lead in the 55th minute after a second-straight goal by Hughes. Corcione stole the ball from a Queens defender just past midfield before passing to Hughes, who found the back of the net for her fourth goal of the season.
Despite its lead, MSU did not let off the gas for the remaining 35 minutes and continued to generate chances while holding the Royals without a shot. A cross from Anthony found Mathews in the 83rd minute, who sent the ball to the right of the Queens goalkeeper to secure the hat trick and 6-0 victory for the Spartans.
Mathews led the Spartans in shots with seven, while Anthony recorded five. Hughes and Najera tallied four each.
"I think the first five non-conference games, we have had given us a taste of what the preparation has been week to week with a really-high level of opponents," said Hosler. "The reason you schedule these games is to see where your team really is and what level they are at. We've put ourselves in a really good position so far."
MSU concludes non-conference play against Loyola Chicago on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 1 p.m. at DeMartin Stadium. The game will stream on B1G+.
Team Stats
Bella Najera (3)
Assisted By: Justina Gaynor , Emily Mathews
GOAL by MSU Najera, Bella Assist by Gaynor, Justina and Mathews, Emily.
28:31
Emily Mathews (3)
MSU Emily Mathews PENALTY KICK GOAL.
34:31
Emily Mathews (3)
Assisted By: Samantha Maroni
GOAL by MSU Mathews, Emily Assist by Maroni, Samantha.
36:43
Meg Hughes (4)
Assisted By: Sofia Beerworth
GOAL by MSU Hughes, Meg Assist by Beerworth, Sofia.
48:59
Meg Hughes (4)
Assisted By: Cassidy Corcione
GOAL by MSU Hughes, Meg Assist by Corcione, Cassidy.
54:53
Emily Mathews (3)
Assisted By: Mackenzie Anthony
GOAL by MSU Mathews, Emily Assist by Anthony, Mackenzie.
82:42
