PULASKI, Tenn. – Jennifer Munoz netted a hat trick in just 36 minutes as the No. 5 Martin Methodist Women's Soccer team cruised to a 7-0 win over Point (Ga.) at the East Campus Soccer Facility Monday afternoon.
Fresh off a 2-0 victory over No. 4 Cumberland (Tenn.) on Friday, the RedHawks (3-0) jumped on top of Point from the opening whistle. Munoz got the scoring started with a goal less than three minutes into the contest. The senior bagged two other goals (18', 36') to put Martin Methodist ahead by a 4-0 margin at the break.
The hat trick is the first of Munoz's career and the first since Lauren Badalamente netted three goals in a win over Emmanuel (Ga.) on Oct. 5, 2013.
Megan Venable, who started up top for the RedHawks, scored the first goal of her three-year career in the 20th minute. Venable's goal capped a solid buildup between the forward and midfielder Linzi Taylor as Venable curled a shot beautifully around a diving goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
Taylor Samsel (74') and Meagan Precourt (83') also scored their first goals of the season in the seven-goal victory. Samsel, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, made her first appearance of 2015 in the second half and wasted little time getting involved in the action.
Hikaru Nakamura rounded out the scoring for the RedHawks with a free kick goal in the 61st minute.
Samantha Wisson stopped all three shots on target she faced to register her third consecutive shutout. As a team, the RedHawks outshot the Skyhawks (1-4) by a 20-5 margin. Over half (11) of the RedHawks 20 shots were on target.
"This was another solid win for our team as we continue to build to where we want to be," RedHawks head coach Tyson John said. "It was great to see Munoz collect a hat trick, but it was just as great to see Venable, Precourt and Samsel get their first goals of the year. We need to build depth as we get ready to head into a rough portion of our schedule. We took a step towards building that today."
Martin Methodist will take on defending NAIA national tournament runner-up Northwestern Ohio when it returns to action this Friday at the Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) Classic. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. CT in Columbia, Kentucky.