Darian Murdock (Herriman, Utah/Herriman HS) recorded her second career hat trick to help pace Dixie State's women's soccer team to a convincing 3-0 victory over Western State Colorado in the Trailblazers' 2017 season opener Thursday afternoon at the NNU Soccer Field.
Murdock, who led the Pacific West Conference in goals scored en route to player of the year honors in 2016 and 2017 preseason conference player of the year accolades, picked up right where she left off a season ago as the senior forward netted DSU's first goal just 3:05 into the match to stake her side to a quick 1-0 lead. Murdock took a
Tana Singley (Farmington, Utah/Viewmont HS) feed from the left wing and rocketed a shot that was deflected by WSCU keeper Emilie Eckhart, but she did manage to collect the carom and score the game's first goal.
DSU struck again late in the 29
th-minute when freshman
Jill Bennett (Salt Lake City, Utah/East HS)'s first collegiate shot on goal was stopped by Eckhart, but Murdock was there again to corral the rebound and tuck home her second tally of the match to give the Trailblazers a 2-0 advantage.
The Trailblazers maintained their two-goal lead until late in the 85
th-minute when sophomore
Alexa Estridge (St. George, Utah/Dixie HS) and Bennett connected to find Murdock, who capped off her record day with a blast from 5-yards out to extend DSU's lead to 3-0.
"We are happy with result today," DSU Head Coach
Kacey Bingham said. "We didn't come out with as much energy as I would have liked in the second half, but it's always nice to get the first game over with and be able to relax a little.
"Darian [Murdock] set a great tone to start the season and hopefully we can have some teammates join her on Saturday [vs. Northwest Nazarene]," Bingham added.
Dixie State outshot WSCU 14-4, including a 10-2 edge on frame, with Murdock accounting for a school single-match record eight of the Trailblazers' 10 shots on goal. Sophomore netminder
Felicity Tarr (Tucson, Ariz./Mountain View Marana HS) (W, 1-0) stopped both Mountaineer shots on goal she faced to post the shutout win.
Dixie State will return to the pitch Saturday with a match against Northwest Nazarene beginning at 2 p.m. (MT) at the NNU Soccer Field. Â
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