THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University women's soccer team scored three unanswered goals in the first half and got two more in the second to defeat the Mississippi Valley State Devilettes 5-1 Friday afternoon in Thibodaux, tying the program record for the best start in team history in the process.

Nicholls (4-0-1) outshot the Devilettes (1-4) 20-6 over the course of the match, outpacing MVSU with 13 shots in the first period and seven in the second. Nicholls also had multiple opportunities thanks to corner kicks, owning a 9-2 advantage in that category.

The squad got a huge day out of senior Alexandra Marino who scored for the first time this season and did getting two goals on the day, followed by Spencer Valdespino who scored and dished out two assists for four total points. Hannah Savoie scored her third goal of the season, while Kaylie Daniels scored her first as well.

Taylor Mosley (3-0) started in goal for the Colonels earning the win, and had one save in the first half, while Josie Stiles came on in the second and allowed one goal but also had one save. MVSU's Shelby Willcocks had five saves and allowed all five goals.

Valdespino scored for the third time in as many games, opening up with the game's first goal late in the fifth minute, after perfect passes from Jess Coates and Kristy Tatom.

Not even three minutes later, Savoie took a pass from Valdespino and chipped a shot over the head of the keeper in the eighth minute to put the Colonels up 2-0.

In the 30th minute, Melissa Pestalozzi found Marino six yards out, and fought past the MVSU goalkeeper to have a wide open net to score giving Nicholls a 3-0 lead.

The Devilettes got one back when MVSU's Shanesse Spratt tipped in a shot past Stiles to make it 3-1 early into the second half.

Daniels pushed the lead back to three when she drilled a shot to the far right post past the keeper, which was earned after a deflection that ricocheted to Valdespino who found the sophomore midfielder giving Nicholls a 4-1 advantage.

Marino put the exclamation point on the match when Bethany Hollier bounced a pass over Willcocks head that left the net open for Marino to tap in the ball for the fifth goal of the evening.

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