BERKELEY– Senior
Karlie Lema's first career hat trick led the California women's soccer team to a 4-1 win over visiting Nevada Thursday afternoon at Edwards Stadium. The Golden Bears have now won four straight matches and hold a 15-5 goal differential during that streak.
Cal now boasts a 5-1-1 record while the Wolf Pack fell to 2-3-0.
Lema entered the match tied with No. 9 Notre Dame's Izzy Engle for top scorer in the ACC with six goals and ended the day as the nation's leading scorer with nine. She now has three multi-goal games this season and is averaging 1.28 goals per game.
It took all of six minutes and 20 seconds for Lema to get the Bears on the scoreboard. Cal ran a set piece after being fouled in the middle third and played the free kick into the 18-yard box. Junior
Alex Klos tapped a ball out to graduate student
Julia Leontini who quickly redirected it into Lema. After one touch the Morgan Hill, CA native turned and fired in her seventh goal of the season.
The Bears' 1-0 lead lasted the rest of the half with Cal outshooting Nevada 9-3. The Wolf Pack quickly tied the match at the start of the second period with a goal from Lauren Muff in the 48th minute.
Lema's second game winner of the season came in the 56th minute as freshman
Kenley Whittaker held the ball in the corner and split a pair of Wolf Pack defenders with a perfect pass to Lema in the penalty area. Once again, the Cal forward got her defender on her hip, turned and tucked a shot just inside the left post to put the Bears up 2-1. Whittaker earned the first assist and first point of her career in her fifth appearance.
In the 82nd minute Lema's offensive pressure caused a Nevada own goal before Lema got another goal of her own in the 86th. Her nation-leading ninth goal came in a one-on-three situation. After receiving the ball at the top of the box, Lema turned and sprinted towards the goal and fired a right-footed shot with two defenders and Wolf Pack goalkeeper Alyssa Szarlacki collapsing on her. Szarlacki saved the initial shot, but Lema found the rebound and finished the job with her left foot.
Graduate student
Kelly McManus made her fifth straight start and collected three saves. She remains undefeated with a record of 4-0-1. Sophomore
Maddie Gambs made her second appearance of the season replacing McManus for the final minute.
The Bears are back at Edwards Stadium this Sunday when San Diego (0-3-2) makes the trip north. Kick off is set for 2 p.m. on ACCNX/ESPN+.
