Cougar soccer (6-7-5, 4-4-2) capped off their last home game of the season with a dominant 3-0 win over the San Francisco Dons (3-10-4, 2-6-2). The Cougars played their most complete game of the season so far and had the second-most goals scored in a game this season.

The offense was led by senior forward Jordyn Young who scored two goals, extending her team lead to six. The goalie play was just as good for the Cougars as redshirt senior Zora Standifer made two highlight reel saves in the first half. She saved one with her legs and another that she had to jump for to tip the ball over the crossbar. This was Standifer’s third shutout of the season.

“Proud of Zora, two crucial saves early on, team effort tonight proud of Zora, proud of Jordyn,” head coach Todd Shulenberger said. 

In the 19th minute, the Cougars had a golden opportunity to break the score open when senior midfielder Maggie Mace broke past the last Dons defender and had her shot saved to go out for a corner kick. On the ensuing corner kick, sophomore midfielder Audrey Shackleford served the ball to Young on a platter who headed it into the back of the net for the first goal of the game. 

At the 25-minute mark, Young scored her second goal of the game, earning herself a brace. This one looked like it was out of a video game. She  ran towards Dons freshman goalkeeper Tyra Bengsston-Stenseth who tried to clear the ball, only for Young to jump into the ball, deflecting it into the back of the net. 

“I was looking at the keeper, I was just able to pick her off and score a nice goal,” Young said. 

Just before halftime, it looked like the Dons might get one back when junior forward Kaitlyn Sasaduesz dribbled past a few Cougar defenders, getting the ball to her left foot just to shoot it wide left of the goal. At the end of the first half the Cougars led the Dons 2-0.

The Cougars, continuing their offensive ways, had the ball in the Dons’ side of the field 68% of the time. 

To begin the second half, the Dons got their second and third corner kicks of the game. The latter of which was the most dangerous with the ball going through the box untouched to a Don outside the box. The Cougar attack was a little more unorganized with two offsides in the first eight minutes of the half. In the 57th minute, the Cougars had a decent look at the goal from just outside the box that ended up going just over the crossbar. 

Two minutes later they earned a free kick just outside the box on the left touchline. The Cougars challenged the call and were awarded a penalty kick. Mace stood up to the ball, took a couple short steps, then ran at the ball and rocketed it into the back of the net for the Cougars’ third goal of the game. 

Despite being up by three, the Cougar attackers would not let off the gas pedal and kept the pressure on the Dons defenders. 

“My pressure was really good tonight… and high intensity, so when I have those two elements it’s a really good game for me,” Young said after a career high two goal performance. 

In the 64th minute, the Dons had a chance at goal when senior forward Lindsey Chau shot the ball on her first touch but the ball was deflected by a Cougar defender who powerfully slid in at the last second, sending the ball out for a Dons corner. 

The latter minutes of the second half were much more laid back than the first half other than a yellow card on sophomore defender Danica Lunceford for a challenge she made against a Coug.

The Cougars got some more attacking chances but could not finish them off. They had played to their offensive strengths this game. 

In the 81st minute, Standifer made two great saves in a matter of about 10 seconds from shots inside the box. She would finish the match with five saves. The Cougars as a team would end the match with six saves after a Cougar defender kicked the ball off the goal line at the last second to keep the clean sheet alive. The Cougars ended the game with 18 shots and seven shots on goal while the Dons ended with 17 shots and seven shots on goal. 

The Cougars will end their regular season campaign at Pacific at 1 p.m. Saturday. Pacific is 4-8-6 overall and 1-5-4 in conference play.