JOSELYN CLARK HAT TRICK GIVES WOMEN’S SOCCER FIFTH-STRAIGHT WIN

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – With an 18-game regular season coming to an end, it is important for Avila women's soccer to peak at the right time. Head Coach Katie LaForge believes that is exactly what happened in Saturday's 6-1 victory over Bethel.

"It was the best offensive executive we had all season with runs made and quality balls being played. We were very clinical in front of goal," the seventh-year head coach noted.

Fourteen minutes into the match, Avila sophomore midfielder Isabel Javier picked up a rebound off of a Joselyn Clark missed shot from 20 yards out to bury the ball in the top of the net for Avila's first goal.

Leading 1-0, the Eagles were far from done.

Off a Bethel free kick, Avila won possession and freshman Cali Lasater found Clark near midfield. Clark's initial shot was briefly stopped by Bethel's goalkeeper but Clark followed her shot and knocked the ball past a Bethel defender for her first goal of the game.

Like the Eagles offense as a whole, Clark herself wasn't done.

Avila wasted no time coming out of halftime. In the 47^th minute, Cali Lasater received a beautiful back-heel pass from Clark and took the ball more than 40 yards before wrapping her shot around the keeper for her first goal of the match.

The goal was Lasater's seventh of the season and gave her a point in five-straight contests.

Like Clark and the Eagles offense, Lasater wasn't done either.

Ten minutes into the second half, the Avila back line took possession away from Bethel once more. Korynn Peregine found Lasater on a perfect through ball. Lasater then played a low cross to Clark who scored for the second time in the match. Avila led 4-0 in the 55^th minute.

Eight minutes later, that tandem came back for more.

With under 30 minutes remaining, Lasater again found Clark in the box with a perfectly placed pass. Clark lobbed her shot just out of the keeper's reach to secure the hat trick and increase Avila's lead to 5-0.

"'Jos' has been working very hard all season and she's peaking at the right time. She is a big part of our team and she is reaping the benefits on the field," LaForge said after Avila's first hat trick of the season.

After Bethel changed keepers, Cali Lasater wanted one more.

The star freshman took a rebound off a missed shot from Mia Yerian, poked the ball past the keeper for her second goal of the game to go along with her two assists.

Bethel would add a goal late off a free kick that pinballed around in the box.

The final 6-1 scoreline gave Avila its fifth-straight win as they head into the KCAC Tournament next week.

"A decisive win like this is important to the confidence of our team but also sends messages to our conference. After being picked to finish 10^th in the preseason, it is an even bigger statement to finish third. We want to be firing on all cylinders heading into the postseason and today was a firing kind of day."

Cali Lasater's two goals and two assists would have made her the star of the match had it not been for Joselyn Clark's three goals and two assists.

Avila finishes the regular season at 12-3-3, their highest single-season win total since the 2013-14 campaign. The Eagles will host a home game in the first round of the KCAC Tournament next week. Official date and opponent to be announced.