By Kyle Trembley
Freshman Amy Young’s first collegiate goal in the fifth minute got the season started off right for Cougar women’s soccer, as CSUSM cruised to a 2-0 victory over Daemen College on Friday in front of the home crowd.
#14-ranked CSUSM is now 1-0 on the year. Daemen drops to 1-1.
The Cougars were solid if not spectacular on the day, controlling play easily and rarely allowing opportunities. The back line rarely let anything by, as All-American keeper Kaycee Gunion was only called upon to make one save.
Meanwhile, the Cougar offense peppered Daemen keeper Stephanie Aurand, taking 33 shots and putting 15 on net.
The first of those shots was Young’s, who ran under a long ball from Michele Ramirez and beat the keeper with a well-placed shot in the side of the net.
After a few near-misses, including a potential goal that was disallowed late in the first half due to a foul, the Cougars effectively put the game away in the 71st minute, when a corner from Taylor Ziencina found Lucia Asbury, who knocked it home to increase the lead to 2-0.
CSUSM will face a very tough test on the road on Tuesday against Vanguard University.