"We had one of our best games offensively, not just because of the goals scored, but our ability to play (the ball) quickly and combine with one another. Overall, it was an amazing team effort," said head coach Julie Woodward on SU's most dominate win of the season.
The Redhawk offensive efforts got to work immediately, as they fired in shot after shot to open the match. After five consecutive on target shots, Ava Ames (Seattle, Wash.) connected with the back of the net for Seattle U. In the 22nd minute, freshman Stephanie Verdoia (Salt Lake City, Utah) sent a through ball on the ground to Ames, who found an opening with her shot to the bottom right corner of the goal. The Ames-Verdoia connection would go on to find the back of net again later in the match.
After taking a 1-0 lead, SU's offensive play remained aggressive and managed the game tempo. As the first half came to a close, the Redhawks extended their lead off a Taylor Fannin (Yakima, Wash.) goal. In the 41st minute Fannin sent in a corner kick, finding classmate Jordan Salisbury (Federal Way, Wash.) in the box. Salisbury headed the ball on target, but it went high and hit the crossbar. A hustling Fannin took possession of the bouncing ball in the box to score her first goal of the season at the 41:12-minute mark.
Thirty-five seconds into the second half Verdoia connected with Ames for the tandem's second goal of the match. Ames received a pass from Verdoia, who was at the top of the 18-yard box, and made a touch on the ball to lift it over the Eagles' goalkeeper Jamie Walker. The goal marked sophomore Ames' second career multi-goal game.
SU's strong play never waned through the match, as the Redhawks tacked on a fourth goal minutes later. Sophomore midfielder Kat Prati (Moorpark, Calif.) sailed in a shot that was saved by Walker, but the keeper was unable to take possession of the ball. Prati was able to recover her own rebound and shoot in her second goal of the season to the near post.
Eastern Washington tallied a pair of on target shots in the 58th and 61st minutes, but Redhawk goalie Madison Goverde (Snohomish, Wash.) easily preserved her sixth clean sheet of the season saving both shots. She would tally three saves in the match.
While the Seattle U defense was impenetrable, the offense continued to push the ball down the field into the EWU box.
Sophomore Monique Escalera (Riverside, Calif.) rounded out the Redhawks' scoring with a standout individual effort. She beat multiple Eagle defenders off the dribble to send in a left footed shot for her first goal of the season in the 80th minute.
The Redhawks outshot the Eagles 21-10, with a 16-3 on target advantage. EWU did tally a 3-1 corner kick advantage in the match.
For Seattle U, Ames and Verdoia led the offense with four shots apiece, with Verdoia earning her first career multi-assist game.
SU will conclude the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 5, at Loyola Marymount. First kick is slated for 1 p.m.