NT Soccer blows out Nicholls St.

NT80 · September 22, 2003

Soccer: North Texas blows out Nicholls State

06:57 AM CDT on Monday, September 22, 2003

Junior forward Melinda Pina collected her second straight hat trick and third of her career as the North Texas (6-2) women’s soccer team cruised to a 7-0 victory over Nicholls State at the Mean Green Soccer Complex. Pina now has a career-high 12 goals for the season and has notched six goals and 15 points over the last two games.

"She’s playing tremendous right now," said North Texas head coach John Hedlund. "She looks faster than she ever has and what I’ve really noticed about her this year is that she is very composed in front of the net and really able to put the ball away."

Pina started the scoring off for North Texas with a goal in the 38th minute. Senior forward Marilyn Marin scored her sixth goal of the season just two minutes later giving the Mean Green a 2-0 lead at the half. Pina then put the game away with two goals on two breakaways in the 55th minute and the 57th minute that made it 4-0 North Texas. North Texas is now 10-1 when Pina and Marin score goals in the same game.

Alyssa Carrier, Kelly Adkins, and Richelle Magalhaes all scored their first goals of the season in the second half to round out goals for the Mean Green. Goalkeeper Briana Buchanan made six saves to record her fifth shutout of the season which ties her for the second most in North Texas single-season history.

"We were a little frustrated in the first half but once the goals started coming we really played well. What I’m really pleased with is that we were able to get more people involved in the offense and become more of a balanced team," Hedlund said.

North Texas has now won three straight games and improve its record to 32-2-2 at home since the 1999 season. The Mean Green closes out its homestand against the Grambling State Tigers on Thursday.