MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Natalia Gomez-Junco collected the first hat trick since 2007 for the University of Memphis women's soccer team as the sixth-ranked team in the country posted a 4-0 victory over Tulsa on Sunday at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex.

The sixth-ranked Lady Tigers improve to 13-0-1 on the season and 5-0-1 in C-USA action, while Tulsa drops to 8-5-2, 2-3-1 C-USA.

After a handball was called on a Tulsa defender inside the box, Lizzy Simonin stepped up to the penalty spot and drilled her third penalty kick of the season to give Memphis a 1-0 lead. Simonin's game-winning goal is her fourth goal on the season and second of the weekend.

Four minutes later, Gomez-Junco powered a shot past Tulsa goalkeeper Katie Bykowski to give the Lady Tigers a 2-0 lead. Lizzy Hildebrandt gathered the ball about 30-yards away in the center of the pitch and served the ball to the left side where Gomez-Junco rocketed a shot from 18-yards away through the keeper's hands for the goal.

Gomez-Junco added her second goal of the match in the 64th minute after she found the ball in the box on a free kick and put it away from three yards away. Simonin earned the assist on the goal after placing the kick in the middle of the keeper area. It was Gomez-Junco's fifth goal of the season and Simonin's third assist.

Tulsa's best scoring opportunity came in the 69th minute as Rebecca Handley shot from 20 yards away toward the net. Goalkeeper Elise Kuhar-Pitters denied the shot for her first save of the match. Kuhar-Pitters finished three saves to preserve the clean sheet.

In the 76th minute, Gomez-Junco collected the ball in the midfield, dribbled past several Tulsa defenders and beat Bykowski to the lower right corner of the net for her third goal of the game. Gomez-Junco's hat trick is the first by a Lady Tiger since Kylie Hayes scored three goals against Southern Mississippi in the 2007 Conference USA tournament.

Gomez-Junco and Cristabel Oduro are tied for the team lead with six goals on the season. Four Lady Tigers, Oduro, Simonin, Gomez-Junco and Melissa Smith, have each recorded double-digit points on the season. Dating back to the 2007 season, Memphis is 19-1-2 following a loss or draw. The Lady Tigers also improve to 22-2-1 on Sunday's since 2009. Over the stretch, Memphis has outscored its opponents 60-11 and posted 16 shutouts.

Memphis will stay at home this coming weekend for a pair of conference match-ups. UTEP comes to Mike Rose Soccer complex for a 7 p.m. contest on Friday and Colorado College will visit for a 1 p.m. tilt on Sunday.

---

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

Men's NCAA Tournament First Round Recap

Men's NCAA Tournament Round Two Preview

TeamRank Presented By TeamSnap - Boys