Soccer team scores early and often in first game

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Freshman forward Kimberly McGehee (26) broke free from Glendale's defense and made a drive to the net for one of three of her goals last night in the Wildcats' shutout against the Gauchos at Murphey Stadium. In her first game representing the UA, McGehee notched a hat trick.

"We really stepped above the other team tonight. We knew our ability and level of play and kept the game at that pace," assistant coach Bruce Caris said.

The Wildcats shut down Glendale Community College 12-0 last night in an exhibition game at Murphey Stadium.

"I was very pleased with how each individual player performed. The performance level was excellent," assistant coach Jen Netherwood said.

The Wildcats set out a balanced attack against the Gauchos with three players scoring two goals apiece and two others picking up hat tricks in the game.

The game started off with two back-to-back goal scoring combos by junior forward Jill Micone and senior forward Nikki Jones. The first 30 minutes of the game included a goal by Micone, followed with a goal by Jones, then Micone and Jones again.

"Players were working together," Netherwood said. "Each individual put it together to mix up the play and form great combos, especially seen in our goals tonight."

The combination plays came together because there was a lot of communication and encouragement by the players, freshman offender Kimberly McGehee said.

"I was really impressed with myself and my first game with the team. It was my teammates that made me play better. We just really came together out on the field tonight," she said.

McGehee and sophomore midfielder Kerri Kennedy-Weber captured three goals each for the team.

They each ended the first half with a goal each, sealing the score at 6-0. Then they came back with their dual scoring action to finish off two more goals apiece, doubling the final score from that at the half.

Sophomore midfielder Brooke McManus interrupted this twosome's scoring for a brief minute to add her two goals to the list. She scored two goals in 45 seconds.

"We wanted to flow together and we did. I had a few first game jitters to start the game, but once I got into the flow of the team playing, everything was fine," Kennedy-Weber said.

The team plans to carry this win and the confidence it produced on the road Friday when the Wildcats travel to Laramie, Wyo., to face the Cowboys.

"This win sets us up going to Wyoming. It doesn't matter if we're playing a community college or a Division I team, we're going to go out there and do it. There's going to be some great games to come," Netherwood said.

Kate Longworth can be reached via e-mail at Kate.Longworth@wildcat.arizona.edu.