Roberts nets hat trick, Storm rout Dutch

PELLA, Iowa – Megan Roberts became the first Storm player to score a hat trick in five years and the Simpson College women's soccer team posted its largest margin of victory against Central since 2008 with a 6-1 win on Tuesday.

The Storm (6-5-1, 3-2 A-R-C) netted four first-half goals and added two in the second half capped off by Roberts' third goal of the game which she scored with a highlight-reel bicycle kick from 10 yards out. She's the first to score three times in a game since Taylor Sudmann accomplished the feat on Sept. 16, 2017.

Simpson scored early and often in the first half to claim a four-goal advantage going into halftime. Two freshmen, Avery Plathe (12') and Brissa Valadez (16'), found the back of the net first followed by Cassie Nash in the 21st minute and Roberts with her first goal just before the half hour mark.

Two minutes into the second period, Valadez assisted Roberts with a goal from the top of the box to extend the lead to five. The Dutch (7-4-2, 1-2-1 A-R-C) prevented the shutout shortly after with a goal off a free kick that sailed just over the fingertips of Lani Mears into the far corner.

Roberts' third goal scored on a pass from Nash gave Simpson its eventual five-goal margin, the largest in a win over the Dutch since a 6-0 victory on Oct. 18, 2008.

Simpson won the shot battle 23-14 including a 14-2 advantage in shots on goal. Roberts placed 5 of 6 goals on target, while Nash and Valadez each had two.

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The Storm will make their way to Decorah to take on Luther Saturday at 1 p.m.