SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Opening the 2021 season on their home pitch at County University Soccer Stadium, USC Upstate women's soccer picked up its first season-opening victory since 2018 with an 11-0 shutout victory over Spartanburg Methodist Sunday afternoon.

The victory extended the Spartans winning streak to three matches after closing the 2020-21 season with a pair of victories, giving Upstate its longest winning streak since the 2018 season.

Throughout the match, seven Spartans found the back of the net, including a pair—sophomore Ashley Finn and freshman Rachel Satchell—who turned in a hat trick. Overall, of Upstate's 11 goals, seven featured an assist with freshman Marie Listenbee leading the way with a pair of assists.

Finn opened Upstate's scoring off a cross from freshman Nora Vangsnes which Finn headed toward the left post and past the keeper in the ninth minute. Scoring the first of her three goals, Satchell turned a touch pass in the goalie box from Listenbee into a 2-0 lead during the 27th minute.

Continuing to apply pressure in the latter portion of the first half, the Spartans scored on one of their five first-half corner kicks as freshman Claudia Mendinhas delivered a perfect ball to the back post where fifth-year senior Courtney Cranmer was waiting to head home the goal. Satchell would add another first-half goal, knifing through the box to beat the keeper before freshman Reece Murphree drew a foul in the box, sending Mendinhas to the penalty stripe where she converted the match's lone PK.

In the second half, Upstate opened by staking a claim in the final third, scoring a pair of goals within the half's opening minutes. Finn drove home her second goal of the match to open the second half after a cross into the box from fifth-year senior Jacqueline Marshall before Marshall got in on the scoring, netting a shot from the left side.

Finn completed her hat trick with a back post goal in the 51st minute while Vangsnes added her goal a minute later off a cross from junior Natalie Loyd, finishing with her right foot towards the right post.

Wrapping her hat trick, Satchell shot right to left across the facing of the goal, beating the keeper to the left post in the 61st minute before Murphree concluded the Spartan attack following a centered pass from Marie Listenbee in the 73rd minute.

In goal, junior Haylee Grudzien and sophomore Cora Brendle combined to post a clean sheet as the Spartan backline kept its goalkeepers fairly clean. Spartanburg Methodist took just seven shots with just two falling on goal as Brendle corralled both for Upstate's two saves.

Upstate continues its season-opening homestand Thursday evening, hosting The Citadel. Kickoff at Country University Soccer Stadium is set for 7:00 p.m. ET with the match airing live on ESPN+.

Note: Due to NCAA rules regarding countable opponents, today's match will not count towards NCAA Championship Statistics.

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