SEATTLE – The Sonoma State women's soccer team showed their offensive firepower on Thursday afternoon, scoring a season high five goals in 5-1 win over Hawaii Hilo in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.  The Seawolves held a 25-6 shot advantage for the game and will advance to take on No. 1 seed Seattle Pacific on Saturday. 
 
SSU was dominant from the start, controlling the ball throughout and recording the first five shots of the game in the first 15 minutes.  In the 16^th minute the Seawolves broke through for the first goal of the contest.  Victoria Chavez played a pass back to Renee Ketner 25 yards out who sent the ball into the box.  Alyssa Silva got free on the back line and headed the ball over the charging goalie for the score. 
 
Chavez made it 2-0 in the 27^th minute when she slotted home a shot from the top of the box inside the far post.  After the Seawolves played a dangerous ball into the box, a failed clear headed to Chavez about 15 yards out.  She ran onto the rolling ball and one-timed it past a defender and the diving keeper. 
 
Sonoma State closed out the half with a near miss as Molly Murphy's goal in the final minute was called off on a foul.  The Seawolves defense was outstanding, limiting the Vulcans to just one shot in the half while the offense racked up 13 for SSU.
 
SSU picked up right where they left off in the second, recording the first three shots before Phoebe Barnes made a key save in the 58^th minute to keep Hawaii Hilo off the board.  The Seawolves notched another score in the 63^rd minute with Silva striking again.  After a corner kick was sent into the box, Julia Pritchard's shot was blocked and bounced to Silva.  She then calmly put the ball into the back of the net for her second goal of the game. 
 
The Seawolves were far from finished as Drew Swanson would make it 4-0 in the 71^st minute.  Swanson rocketed a shot from 25 yards out over the leaping goalie and into the upper left corner for a perfectly placed goal.  The score was Swanson's first of her career.  Eight minutes later another Seawolf recorded her first career goal as Kaci Holliday ripped a free kick from 19 yards out past the goalie.
 
The Vulcans would add a late goal to make the final score 5-1.  Sonoma State put eight of their 25 shots on target for the game.  Barnes earned her first NCAA Tournament win with three stops in net while Silva moved into a tie for the team lead with five goals on the season. 
 
The Seawolves set a school record by scoring five goals, the most in school history in a postseason game.  The five goals were also the most since 2017 while the 25 shots were the most since the 2019 season. 
 
Sonoma State will face a tough test on Saturday when they take on the No. 1 seed in the West Region, Seattle Pacific.  The Falcons are ranked No. 4 overall and are 17-1-1 on the season.  The game will kick-off at 2:00 pm on the campus of Seattle Pacific.  Visit www.sonomaseawolves.com for a link to the live stream.