ST. GEORGE, Utah – Three different goal scorers and a clean sheet in net powered Dixie State to a 4-0 shutout win over Notre Dame de Namur on Thursday night at Hansen Stadium. The Red Storm has won four of their last five matches improving to 6-5-1 overall and 4-2 in Pacific West Conference action.
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Dixie State held a 16-9 shot advantage over the Argonauts (3-9, 1-5 PacWest) and managed four corner kicks to compared to one from the visitors.
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The Storm offense got off to a fast start, as junior
Erica Gonzalez (Avondale, AZ/Westview) netted the opening goal to the left side of the net after taking a pretty pass from
Mindi Beckstrom (Nibley, UT/Mountain Crest).
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Even with the early score, it was the Storm stopping ability that impressed head coach
Kacey Bingham.
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"I was really impressed with our defensive efforts tonight," she said. "Individuals are really starting to step up their performances. I think we are making big improvements each game we play."
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Those improvements held NDNU to five shots in the first half and only four more in the second half.
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Jennifer Mason (Springville, UT/Springville), the current PacWest Player of the Week, went to work in the second half with an assist on a 58
th minute goal from
Darian McCloy (Herriman, UT/Herriman). Mason's middle pass left McCloy open at the top of the box for a shot that slid just under the crossbar.
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In the span of two minutes later in the second half, Mason went from goal-helper to goal scorer. In the 71
st minute,
Montana Tanner (Centerville, UT/Viewmont) set up Mason just to the right side of the box. Mason blasted a shot inside the left post for a 3-0 lead. On the very next shot, Mason found herself in the exact same spot, this time after a pass from Gonzalez. Seeing a shot to the left work previously, Mason fired a similar shot for her second goal of the match and the ninth of the season.
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The defense and solid goalkeeping from
Stacie Gubler (Las Vegas, NV/Palo Verde) left NDNU without a shot over the final five minutes to close the shutout. For Gubler, it's her second solo clean sheet of the year.
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Dixie State closes out a weekend homestand with a match Saturday night at 7 p.m. against Holy Names.Â