BERKELEY – The No. 21/19 California women’s soccer team gave Hawaii a
taste of the Golden State with an 8-1 victory over the Rainbow Wahine on
Sunday afternoon. Senior forward Alex Morgan netted a hat trick, bringing
her weekend total to five goals. The Golden Bears, who also got goals from
Lauren Battung, Katie Benz, Katie Suits, Mekenna DeBack and Kate Bennett,
now stand at 3-0-2 overall while Hawaii is 2-4-0.

Cal outshot Hawaii, 21-9, bolstered by a 13-shot second half. The match
concluded this weekend’s Cal Invitational, which saw the Bears be the only
team to finish at a perfect 2-0.

“We were better in possession then we’ve been in terms of – once we win
the ball, can we keep possession and break down the opponent’s team,” Cal
head coach Neil McGuire said. “In recent weeks, we’ve been keeping the
ball well but we haven’t been doing anything with it. We had to have more
killer instinct, and I think we did have that today.”

The Bears got on the board in the 24th minute when Morgan beat out three
defenders after Battung crossed the ball into her. It was then Battung’s
turn at 36:49 with a shot to the back-left corner with freshman Kaitlyn
Fitzpatrick coming in with the assist.

That goal proved to be the ultimate gamewinner for Hawaii score with 2:11
to play in the frist half. Mari Punzal threw the ball in and Chelsea
Deptula shot it to the right corner, bringing the score to 2-1.

The one-goal deficit would not last long for junior Katie Benz, who was
playing in her first match this season, received the ball from Katrin
Omarsdottir with one minute remaining in the half. Benz tapped in,
directing the ball to the back right for her first goal of the year,
upping Cal’s lead to 3-1.

In the span of just under a minute, from 46:23-47:15, Morgan scored twice.
Her first goal tipped off the goalie’s hands and into the net off a pass
from Omarsdottir. Jesolva had the assist on the second, which Morgan put
in the back right.

Now leading, 5-1, it was Suits’ turn. In the 54th minute, Suits shot it
from well beyond 20 yards for her first goal of the season. DeBack,
collected the rebound off a block in the 59th minute and put a gorgeous in
that went over the goalkeeper’s hands but under the crossbar for the
score. Bennett put the final stamp on the game at 77:22 after she dribbled
around her defender to get the goal.

Cal keepers Emily Kruger and Lauren Hein split time in goal today with
Kruger making the start and allowing one goal with one safe. Hein played
the entire second half and made three stops. The Bears worked Hawaii
starting goalkeeper Kananni Taaca for five goals before Kristina Ehrett
replaced her in the 50th minute. Ehrett allowed three goals and made two
saves, while Taaca earned three saves.

Next weekend, the Bears return to a one-game weekend schedule with a
Sunday match being the sole highlight of next weekend. On Sunday, Sept.
12, Cal hosts Long Beach State at 11:30 a.m. This will be the second
meeting between the Cal and a Big West Conference team after tying UC
Irvine, 2-2, in double overtime on Aug. 22.