LACEY, Wash. – The Chico State women's soccer team's mantra during the summer and preseason was: "Prepare to shine." So it must have felt ironic when they pulled up to the Saint Martin's University Soccer Field for their 2015 season opener in a torrential downpour on Thursday.

 

But the clouds lightened and eventually made way for the sun, and the Wildcats, to shine in Chico State's 2-0 victory over the Saints in the season opener for both teams. Freshman goalkeeper Mackenzie Boulton blanked Saint Martin's in her first collegiate start, making four saves in the process and earning high praise from Head Coach Kim Sutton.
 
"She was our player of the game," said Sutton. "She did a great job of coming off her line to clean things up and clearing balls out of the air."
 
Pooja Patel and Shelby Lanksbury scored for the Wildcats (1-0), assisted by Erin Woods and Carlie Reader, respectively.
 
It was clear from the opening kick that the Wildcats were prepared to play. Patel opened the scoring just 4:19 into the match after Lindsay Dias drew a foul 25 yards out and dead center from the goal to set things up. Woods played a worm-burner to the right of the wall and Patel – running left to right – ran onto it and one-timed it with a half turn to beat the goalkeeper.
 
It was Woods' first collegiate assist. Injured very early on last season and forced to redshirt, she started in the

defensive third and made an immediate impact. The goal was the third of Patel's career and the second game-winner.
 
Chico State got some much-needed cushion with Laksbury's strike in the 69^th minute. True freshman Carlie Reader broke down the defense with a shifty dribble and played a square ball to the junior striker who looked up and saw the goalkeeper a bit out of position. Lanksbury took full advantage, beating her top shelf for her fourth goal in her past nine collegiate matches.
 
Boulton, Lanksbury, Woods, Dias and Patel were joined in the starting 11 by defenders Cassi Scroggins, Jojo Smyth and Devon Morones, and midfielders Gabi Story, Katie Brown and Emily Shleppey.
 
Reader, Boulton, Woods, Morones and Story are freshmen. Smyth and Scroggins were the only seniors in the starting lineup.
 
The Wildcats will wrap up a short road trip through Washington on Saturday with a match at Seattle Pacific at noon. Fans can follow livestats via chicowildcats.com.

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