ATHERTON, CA – The Menlo Women's Soccer team showcased a commanding performance, defeating Cal Maritime 9-1 at Menlo College's Wunderlich field on Thursday afternoon. The Oaks have been itching to find the back of the net, and were very successful today. The match saw a series of impressive goals, with Menlo completely controlling the flow of the game and overwhelming the Keelhaulers on both ends of the field.
Team Victory
Menlo wasted no time, opening the scoring at the 17th minute in the first half when Lyla Devereaux netted a goal off of her chest, assisted by Verenia Gonzalez. Just two minutes later, Gonzalez herself found the back of the net off a pass from Kawai Acopan. The Oaks continued their first-half dominance, as Aaliyah Grigsby added a third goal at the 29th minute, again assisted by Acopan, taking the team into halftime with a 3-0 lead. Devereaux's and Grigsby's goals would each account for their first goals of the season.
The second half saw an even more explosive Menlo offense. Outside back Brynn McClymond opened the floodgates again out of halftime with a goal in the 47th minute, followed quickly by Kawai Acopan's strike at the 48th, assisted by Haley Dunham. Gonzalez then completed her hat trick with two additional goals, one in the 54th and another at the 60th. Haley Dunham sealed the deal for the Oaks, scoring the final two goals at the 72nd and 75th minutes. Even after allowing the Keelhaulers to score a lone goal, the Oaks were dominating on all sides of the ball and knew they would earn the victory.
Oak Standouts
Menlo's offensive firepower was evident as they unleashed 36 total shots, with 20 of those on target. They also capitalized on set pieces, earning six corner kicks throughout the match. Verenia Gonzalez shone brightly with a hat trick, following her first goal of the season against Dominican just a few days ago. Kawai Acopan played the role of playmaker with four assists and a goal to her name, her first goal of the season as well.
Goalkeeper Giorgia Melcore contributed to Menlo's defensive efforts with two saves, keeping Cal Maritime limited to just five total shots. The Oaks dominated the possession and tempo, constantly pressuring their opponents and maintaining control from start to finish.
Up Next…
With this decisive win, Menlo continues to build momentum as they look to carry this form into their PacWest match on Saturday, October 26th at Academy of Art in San Francisco with a kick off starting at 1:30pm!
