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Raiders win at the drop of a hat (trick) By TED BURNHAM ASHLAND - It was a cold October afternoon, but the Raiders scoring attack was on fire Tuesday as the Southern Oregon University women's soccer team cruised to a 5-0 win over Oregon Institute of Technology at Raider Field. Former Grants Pass standout Jeannelle Thompson scored a hat trick and Emily Pippin and Monica Doshier added goals to give SOU the victory. The Raiders dominated most of the game and menaced the Owls' goal with 26 shots. The Raiders improved to 8-3-1 in the Cascade Conference, while OIT fell to 5-6-1 with the loss. "I have been in a slump lately, but today I felt great," said Thompson, a freshman and former all-Southern Oregon Conference standout in high school. "It's all about having players who can get you the ball. That is how you set up the pretty goals." Indeed, Thompson's first goal was a beauty. The freshman opened the scoring with a header off an assist by Alison Richards 16 minutes into the game. Thompson added another goal 10 minutes later and Pippin converted a Jacqueline Fahrney assist to put the Raiders up 3-0 at halftime. The Owls put pressure on the SOU goal in the opening minutes of the second half, but the Raiders' defense held firm. Doshier assured the victory at the 69-minute mark with 20-yard boot that sailed past the outstretched arms of the OIT goalkeeper. Thompson completed her hat trick 13 minutes later with Laura Ball assisting. The shutout means OIT has yet to score against the Raiders, who have outscored the Owls 12-0 in four matches. Both programs are in their second year. "It usually takes us a few minutes to get started, but fortunately OIT was not too dangerous," SOU coach Jose Chavez said. "We have been practicing the keepaway. When we play that way, the goals come by themselves." OIT had 10 shots on goal in the first half, but managed just two more in the second half. Raider defenders Pippin, Doshier and Stephanie Painter held off Owl midfielders Becky Ernstrom and Brooke Long, the only OIT players to shoot more than twice. A half-dozen Raiders had two or more shots on goal, however - and SOU lobbed seven shots in the final 15 minutes of play. "This is the best I have ever seen us play," said Richards, a Phoenix High School graduate. "We controlled the tempo of the game. Everyone played very unselfishly - that's why we played so well." The match was the final home game for the Raiders, who will travel Friday to play Concordia College in Portland. SOU plays its final conference game Saturday against Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash. SOU clinched the No. 3 seed in the conference championship tournament with the victory. The Raiders need to win the tournament to advance to the NAIA Region I Championship tournament, a goal that is within reach, said to Chavez. "We are starting to feel more confident," he said. "We are believing more in ourselves. Whoever we play, we will play to win. We want that trip to regionals bad." Doshier, from Ashland, Richards and former North Medford player Anne Endrikat were given bouquets Tuesday to commemorate their final home match, but Richards said the goal is to stretch out the season as long as they can. "We just have to keep building on this," she said. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.