SALEM, Ore. – It only took twenty-nine minutes of playing time for senior forward Alysia Alvarado to singlehandedly take down Stanton University in the Corban University Women's Soccer team's season opener earlier this afternoon, as the Warriors took a 4-0 decision at the Outdoor Athletic Complex (OAC) behind a hat trick by Alvarado and first career goal for a true freshman in the navy and gold jerseys.
"We couldn't ask for a better start to our non-conference slate that produced a win today!" detailed Corban head coach Travez Whyte. "Despite our Warriors taking some time in the first half to adjust and play our way, we saw a completely different second half that showed more discipline to play the way that we train. Our student-athletes worked hard today at finding ways that will create success for our team, and a huge shoutout to Alysia for getting her hat trick. She was spectacular in the final third! Shoutout to Maya as well for getting her first collegiate goal! We are grateful for our new Warriors who adjusted well with our playing style. Many thanks to our supporters who showed up today, we appreciate you all! We Are Warriors!"
After an adjustment period of playing in their first regular season contest with a revitalized 2024 roster, the Warriors (1-0-0) opened the scoring in the 17th minute after Alvarado had checked in less than a minute prior. The first sixteen minutes of play was all Corban with seven shots and six coming on goal before Alvarado found herself wide open in front of the net after a well-placed cross by senior defender Adilynn Brotnov. Two minutes later, she doubled the Warriors' lead at the 19-minute mark with senior forward Maria Juarez earning the assist.
Junior forward Carley Ganchenko nearly made it a 3-0 lead in the 21st minute with a shot that sailed right of the net, followed by two shot attempts by Juarez within a four second window. Right before the opening third of regulation time had ticked off the scoreboard, Juarez found Alvarado at the top of the penalty box, where she curved the ball up and over the goalkeeper for her hat trick in only fifteen minutes of action thus far.
Stanton (0-1-0) was able to escape the remainder of the first half without any further damage from Alvarado or any of the other Warriors responsible for eighteen first half shots, while the Corban defense also held the Elk without a single shot attempt through the first forty-five minutes played.
Starting as a true freshman at the top of the attacking front for Coach Whyte's program, forward Maya Alston had a handful of opportunities in the first half to knock in her first collegiate goal but came up short on each occasion. However, twelve minutes into the second half, a misplay by one of Stanton's defenders allowed Alston to dribble past the goalkeeper and cash in on an open goal to score the first of what Warrior Nation hopes to be many more in her career.
Sophomore goalkeeper Ava Hayes had a fairly relaxing day between the posts for the Navy and Gold, needing to handle the ball on only a single occasions when Elks' midfielder Connie Rosas finally managed to get a shot off against the pestering Corban backline in the 70th minute, which Hayes handled with ease to maintain the shutout win in her first opportunity of the young season.
Stanton goalkeeper Meliza Lopez surrendered four goals in her first start for the Elk in 2024 yet denied ten more shot attempts for double-digit saves against Corban. The Warriors held a 24-1 advantage in shots through the ninety-minute contest, with fifteen either resulting in scores or saves by Lopez.
Corban women's soccer will turn their attention to hosting the final set of scrimmages on their preseason schedule tomorrow at the OAC, with Portland Community College visiting at 10am and Rogue Community College at 1:30pm. The next counting contest for the Warriors will take place on the road in Forest Grove on Wednesday, August 21st, when NCAA DIII Pacific University hosts Corban at 7pm.
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