CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri senior forward Natasha Minor scored a hat trick in Wednesday's match against Union University (0-2). The Redhawks won the match, 4-1.
 
With the win, SEMO remains unbeaten at 5-0-1 on the season.
 
Minor's three goals is a new career high for the senior. She had scored two on three separate occasions. The hat trick ties the program record for goals in a match. A hat trick has been achieved only 11 times prior to Wednesday. The last was Angie Mann in 2015. Minor finished the match with eight shots, also a career high, putting five on goal.
 
In her career, Minor now has 21 goals and 55 points. She now sits in fourth all-time in goals and officially cracks the top-five in points, ranking fifth. Her 77 career shots on goal moves her into fourth all-time in the category.

Head coach Heather Nelson remarked, "A hat trick for Tosh is brilliant for her. For everything she has been through to battle back from an ACL injury last season is wonderful to see. Our fans see what she does from season to season but what they don't see is how hard she has worked the last nine months to overcome her injury. She constantly puts her heart and soul out for this program and is one of our biggest difference makers." 

Kindra Lierz (5-0-1) allowed only her second goal of the season on Wednesday but recorded two saves in the match. The win is the 24^th of her career.
 
Union's Kristen Francis (0-2) suffered the loss in goal. Francis allowed all four goals but picked up eight saves.
 
Southeast scored two goals in each the first and second halves of the match.
 
Maggie Pike was fouled in the box in the seventh minute of the match to draw a penalty kick. Minor took the PK and found the back of the net to put SEMO on the board early in the match, 1-0.
 
Minor netted her second goal of the evening in the 14^th minute. Maddi Karstens served the ball in to Minor from midfield. Minor took the ball all the way into the box and got her shot to deflect off the keeper and into the goal to put Southeast out in front 2-0. That goal was her seventh career game-winner.
 
The Redhawks led 2-0 at halftime. SEMO held the advantage in shots, 7-1, putting five on goal.
 
Union broke up the Redhawks three-match shutout streak in the 51^st minute. Summer Senn got a dribbler past Lierz and into the back of the net to put Union on the board and narrow the deficit to 2-1.
 
Minor picked up the hat trick in the 70^th minute. Esmeralda Gonzales, in her first game back since the season opener, dished the ball to Minor who poked it past the keeper, putting Southeast back on top by two, 3-1.
 
Pike drew her second foul in the box of the night to earn a second penalty kick, this one she took herself. Pike buried the ball in the top left corner of the net to make it a 4-1 match. It was Pike's second career goal.

Nelson added, "I need to give credit to Maggie for drawing the first penalty shot for Tosh then earning one for herself. In both situations, she battled hard and created opportunities for us this evening." 

Southeast finished the match with 24 shots, adding 17 in the second half alone. SEMO put exactly half, 12, of their shots on goal. While Minor had eight shots, six other Redhawks all had two shots, five of which were nonstarters. Pike and Gonzales each landed two shots on goal.
 
Nineteen total Redhawks saw playing time Wednesday.

"I thought we had a lot of players contribute in the match this evening. We had some players excel more than they have been up to this game. I love seeing our players push themselves. It was very important to me that we played well this evening."

Southeast Missouri returns to action Sunday at Houck Field when it hosts Florida Atlantic University. Sunday's match will feature Meg Herndon Day. Minor, a Nursing major at Southeast, will be presented with the Meghan Herndon Memorial Scholarship at halftime. Sunday will also be Youth Soccer Day. All youth soccer players wearing their jersey will receive free admission to the match. Also, back by popular demand, Burritoville will be sponsoring 250 additional Pokémon Go t-shirts that were handed out at the home opener. 

"We need to have a solid remainder of our training week this week because Florida Atlantic is a very good program. FAU will be an amazing test for our team. I ask our campus, athletics, international, and the southeast Missouri communities come out, cheer us on, and be a 12^th woman for our team. I fully expect Sunday's match to be an extraordinary one and we need all the home field advantage we can get."