Women's Soccer . August 18, 2024

Rookie Nabs Hat-Trick in Season Opening Win Over Furman

Final Box Score

Game #1

COLUMBIA, SC – South Carolina women’s soccer (1-0-0) opened up the 2024 season with a bang, taking down Furman (1-1-0) in front of a record crowd, 5-1. Rookie Katie Shea Collins had an incredible collegiate debut, scoring three goals in 30 minutes.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Just 34 seconds into the game, rookie Katie Shea Collins broke away from the Furman defense up the left side and snuck one in past the Paladins’ keeper. The goal was the second fastest scored in program history
Furman answered back at the 18-minute mark, taking advantage of an unoccupied goal
Collins wouldn’t let the Paladins celebrate for too long, putting up her second goal of the night just two minutes later with an assist from fifth-year Cat Barry
Barry then took a shot of her own in the 26^th minute, connecting on a pass from senior Lily Render to put the Gamecocks up 3-1 early
38 seconds later, Collins secured a hat-trick with her third goal of the night in just 29 minutes of play, giving South Carolina a 4-1 lead with 20 minutes left in the first half to become just the seventh Gamecock in program history to score three or more goals in a single game, and the youngest player to do so since Jennie Ondo in 1996
The four goals in the first half marked the fourth-most in a half in program history
South Carolina kept things going in the second half, with freshman Kylie Cino netting her first collegiate goal in the 83^rd minute to give the Gamecocks their final goal of the game
The Gamecocks finished with an 18-4 shot advantage and took six corners
Keeper Taylor Fox had one save
The 6,200 fans in attendance marked the second-largest crowd in program history