SALISBURY, N.C. — Ella Matthews became the third member of the Catawba College women's soccer team to record a hat trick on Saturday, leading the eighth-ranked Catawba Indians to a 5-1 win over Wingate at Frock Field.
Matthews' first career hat trick was achieved using a team-high four shots on goal in 65 minutes. Cadence Setzer also had a hand in three scores, adding one strike with two assists for a four-point affair. Ali Skinner found the back of the net once, marking the senior defender's fourth goal of the season. Ryen Gibbs and Alex Eguren came off the bench to supply one assist apiece. Lauren Zitt enjoyed one of her best outings of the year with four saves on five opportunities to bag win No. 7.
Catawba (8-2-1, 5-0-1 SAC) led the contest in total shots, shots on goal and corner kicks. The hosts bested Wingate (3-5-3, 1-2-1 SAC) in shots 24-15 with a first-half tally of 14-7 that heavily tipped the scale. Half of the Catawba Indians tries were directed on net as they won the category by a firm 12-5 margin. In corner kicks, Catawba boasted its second double-figure total of the year for a 10-2 advantage. Despite being shown the match's lone yellow card, the blue and white committed just two fouls compared to the visitors' five.
Kennedy McGuire, who made her first career start, provided the first on-goal threat in the 11th minute with one saved shot and a second-chance boot that missed high. Catawba and Wingate alternated shots early as Setzer put another on net between two Bulldog tries that Zitt denied. After consecutive corner kicks, the Catawba Indians broke through in the 30th minute with Matthews striking on an assist from Setzer.
Eguren sent in another on-frame shot in the 41st minute that was pushed out; while trying to clear it from their defensive zone, the 'Dogs were intercepted and Matthews deposited it back in with a scenic, curling shot to make it a brace. Eguren lent a hand to Setzer moments later for Catawba's third goal, but Audur Halldorsdottir put Wingate on the board 15 seconds before halftime to cut the gap to 3-1.
It was all Catawba coming out of the break with Setzer sending a pair of shots toward the 'Dogs shortly before Matthews completed the hat trick off an assist from Gibbs. Another Setzer delivery produced a Catawba Indian corner kick, giving the Shelby, N.C., product her second assist of the afternoon as she found Skinner for the finish on the squad's fifth goal.
Wingate threatened with a flurry of Tilde Wahrenberg shots soon after the ensuing kickoff, the last of which was saved by Zitt. The guests worked corner kicks in the 72nd and 75th minutes, their only opportunities of the match, but came up empty on both chances. Halldorsdottir fired another shot at Zitt, this time being turned away by the Apex, N.C., native. That marked the final shot taken by the 'Dogs, allowing Catawba to cruise away with a 5-1 victory.
The Catawba Indians have not lost to Wingate in six straight meetings and possess a dominant 10-1-3 record in the series dating back to 2018.
Catawba is back in action against another South Atlantic Conference rival on Wednesday, Oct. 7, with a trip to Lenoir-Rhyne. Kickoff against the Bears is slated for 7:30 p.m.
