Dalton, GA - The women's Patriots soccer team scored a pair of goals in the first half to take down Dalton State 3-0 on Saturday night. Shara Randez gets credit for all three goals, as she found the back of the net for the first time this season. Cumberlands improves to 2-0, while Dalton State falls to 3-3.
 
The game got off to a slow start, but freshman goalie Laura Vogt kept Dalton State off the scoreboard with back-to-back saves early on. At the 21' mark, Sarah Hammerstone recorded the Pats first shot off, as she dodged her defender to get to the doorstep of the Road Runners' goal. Hammerstone sent the ball towards the middle of the cage, but the Dalton State's goalie made the stop to keep the game at 0-0. As both teams fought for possession, Dalton State fouled Alanna Skinner to set up a free kick from midfield with 18:06 left to play. Skinner sent a perfect pass to Amy Anderson inside the box, ten yards from the goal. Anderson made a quick touch pass to Randez who popped the ball over her defender and took a shot in mid-air to score Cumberlands' first goal.
 
The Patriots' offense kept up the fast-paced play, a pass from Laura Navajas Marin in the midfield connected with Jillian Zurborg, who sprinted to the near corner for the ball. Zurborg sent a cross to the other side of the box for Randez, as she made a quick shot out of the pass and put the Patriots up 2-0 on the Road Runner's before half. Dalton State tried to rebound from Cumberlands' attack as they got a 1v1 opportunity off a fast break. Dalton State's Heather Allen took a shot inside the box, but Vogt used her quick footwork to deflect the ball away from goal. With momentum on their side, the Pats headed into the lockerroom up 2-0 on the Road Runners at halftime.
 
Cumberlands opened the second half with just as much offensive power, as Navajas Marin sped upfield for an opportunity to extend UC's lead. Navajas Marin took a shot at the upper center of the cage, but the ball hit the crossbar and ricocheted to the DSU defense. In the 61', the Road Runners sprinted upfield on a fast-break opportunity, but Vogt came out of cage to steal the ball away from her offender and keep the score at 2-0. In the final minute of play, the Patriots offense ran the ball downfield towards the Dalton State goal. Randez had the ball in the box before being fouled to set up a penalty kick. Randez sent the ball to the lower-left corner of the goal as the goalie dove to the opposite side, giving UC the 3-0 lead as the game ended and earning her first hat trick of the season.
 
Today's hat trick is only the second in Randez' career. Her last three-goal performance came on September 8, 2018 when UC defeated Olivet Nazarene 4-0. Vogt made four saves on the day and earned her second straight shutout in her first two career games as a Patriot. Anderson and Zurborg both tallied their first assists on the season.
 
The Patriots play again next week on Wednesday, November 18, as they play their home-opener against the Marian Knights. The game will serve as the marquee matchup of the week after the Knights handed Cumberlands' their first loss of the season last year. Kickoff is set for 4:30pm with live stream available here and live stats available here.
 
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