Box Score Lauren Johnson's second-straight hat trick highlighted another lopsided win for Cougar women's soccer, as #15-ranked CSUSM routed San Diego Christian 5-0 on the road on Wednesday.
The Cougars improve to 7-1-5 on the season. San Diego Christian drops to 4-6-3.
CSUSM's mid-season goal-scoring drought seems a thing of the past, as the Cougars have tallied an impressive 16 in their last three games. CSUSM out-shot San Diego Christian 20-9 and held a 7-3 advantage in corner kicks.
For Johnson, today's hat trick comes just four days after she netted three goals in the first 20 minutes against Chapman. Johnson, or "Scorin' Lauren" as she's been dubbed, now leads the team with 8 goals this season - one behind the single-season team record held by Katelyn Krauss.
But it was fellow forward Shelby Bush who provided the game's first goal, dribbling the ball down the left side of the field and blasting it across the goal into the side netting in the 11th minute.
Four minute later, Johnson would get her first of the day, as aTaylor Ziencina shot hit the post and Johnson was there to tap it home.
The game went 2-0 to the half, but CSUSM picked up where it left off right away, as Bush recorded her second of the game just over a minute into the second half, heading in a Taylor Schurman cross.
In the 57th minute, Johnson tallied her second goal of the day off a pass from Kaleigh Dodson. Finally in the 63rd, Johnson completed the hat trick, heading home a cross from Ziencina.
Bush's two goals improve her to second on the team with four this season, and Ziencina's second-straight two assist game give her a school-record 9 this season. Goalkeepers Kaycee Gunion and Rebecca Delaney combined to earn the shutout.
For Coach Ron Pulvers, the team is rounding into shape as the post-season approaches.
"There is a really good feel about the team," commented Pulvers. "They continue to play progressive soccer and score goals."
The Cougars will travel up to U.C. Santa Cruz this Sunday.
