EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) –
Nathan Donovan (Sr. – Hazel Green, Wis./Wahlert Catholic) scored a first-half hat trick as the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's soccer team blanked Carroll University 4-0 on Wednesday at Simpson Field. All three of Donovan's goals came in the first 21 minutes as the 12th-ranked Blugolds cruised to victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Donovan scored the hat trick, but a first career goal from Tate McDermott (Fr. – Grimes, Iowa/Dallas Center-Grimes) got the Blugolds on the board first. McDermott struck in the eighth minute, heading home a cross from Donovan. Cooper Roberts (Jr. – Apple Valley, Minn.) also assisted.
- Donovan began his hat trick in the 12th minute, slotting the ball through the legs of a Carroll defender and into the corner of the net for the Blugolds' second goal. McDermott was credited with the assist.
- UW-Eau Claire's lead grew to 3-0 just seven minutes later. Donovan's long-range effort from the edge of the box had just enough power on it to survive a touch from the Pioneers' keeper and roll into the back of the net in the 19th minute. McDermott and Carson Kowalski (Jr. – Mundelein, Ill.) assisted.
- The game's final goal came less than two minutes later, when Donovan polished off the hat trick with a sweeping strike as he fell to the ground in the 21st minute. Owen Backus (Fr. – Elkhorn, Wis.) and Sean Redmond (So. – Lebanon, Tenn.) tallied the assists.
- Three goalkeepers combined for the clean sheet for the Blugolds: Spencer Banks (Sr. – Stevens Point, Wis.), Mark Belknap (Sr. – Anoka, Minn.) and Charlie Mroz (Fr. – Waukesha, Wis./South). Each keeper made one save.
- Donovan finished with three goals and an assist. It was his fourth hat trick of the season. McDermott had two assists in addition to his goal.
- The Blugolds held a 9-3 advantage in shots on goal.
UP NEXT
UW-Eau Claire will travel to Whitewater on Saturday, October 12, for a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) meeting with UW-Whitewater. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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