Box Score

ABERDEEN, S.D. - Northern State University freshman Kaylee McDonald scored her first career hat trick and took over the team lead in season goals as she knocked in her sixth, seventh and eighth goals of the season Saturday afternoon to lead the Wolves to a 3-1 win over the visiting Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference women's soccer action.
    The win lifts NSU to a 6-5 overall record and an even 2-2 in conference play, while SWMSU fell to 1-8 overall and 1-4 in the league.
    McDonald, who has scored at least one goal in four of the last five games this season, came up big for the Wolves on Parents Weekend, taking seven of the team's 21 shots, including five on goal.  The 5-foot-8 midfielder out of Ramsey, Minn., tallied her first goal less than 12 minutes into the game, taking a long pass from sophomore Summer Swan (Oregon City, Ore.) in the middle and drawing out the Mustang goalkeeper before slipping the ball past her in to the net.
    SMSU tied things up in the 24th minute when Courtney McCarthy capitalized on a scramble in front of the net following a Mustang corner kick, knocking in a deflection from Kelly Fitzgerald to make it a 1-1 game.
    There the score stayed until 16:08 into the second half when McDonald found the net for her second goal, this time off the foot of sophomore Kirsten Saunders (Englewood, Colo.)
    McDonald completed the hat trick with under four minutes left in the game when she slammed home an unassisted goal off the right post to give the Wolves the 3-1 edge.
    Defensively, the Wolves held SMSU to just 11 hots in the game, four of which came from midfielder Kate Voigt.  NSU sophomore Dee Wood (Bothell, Wash.) earned the win in goal, while senior Kit Grace (Littleton, Colo.) made her return appearance on the field for the Wolves, working all 45 minutes of the second half in the net without allowing a goal.
    The Wolves will be back in action tomorrow as they face 18th ranked Minnesota State University in another key NSIC matchup.  The Mavericks were 2-1 winners over the University of Mary on Saturday and enter Sunday's game with a 7-game unbeaten streak on the line.  Game time for Sunday's contest is set for 1 p.m. at Jerde Field.