Fayette, Iowa --- Junior
Korey Kronforst scored a hat trick for No. 1 Minnesota State as the Mavericks defeated Upper Iowa University 4-1 on Friday afternoon. With the win the Mavericks clinched their third Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Regular Season Championship in as many years.
The Mavericks improve to 17-0-0 and 14-0-0 in the NSIC with the win while the Peacocks fall to 9-6-1 and own a 9-4-1 conference ledger.
Senior
Emily Moris started the scoring four minutes into the match. Kronforst drew the Peacock's goalie out of the net and passed the ball across to a wide open Moris in front of the goal to give the Mavericks an early 1-0 lead.
Kronforst added a goal in the 23rd minute after senior
Breanna Steele took a free kick from just across midfield that fell in front of sophomore
Dana Savino. Savino forced the defense to focus on her and passed it to Kronforst who tapped it in for her first goal of the match. The Peacocks answered just a few minutes later as Aimee Wronski was able to get one past senior
Molly McGough to cut the lead in half.
It didn't take long for the Purple and Gold to add to their lead in the second half as Savino and Kronforst hooked up again in the 50th minute. Savino kicked one over to Kronforst who used the wind to help her guide one into the top right hand corner of the net from 27 yards to put MSU up by two.
Ten minutes later Kronforst added her third goal of the game and 14th of the year, this time unassisted, to give MSU a 4-1 win. She now stands fourth all-time in goals scored in program history with 39 and need just three more to move up to third all-time. She also moves up to the fifth spot in career points totaling 90.
Minneosta State outshot Upper Iowa 28-9 and held a 13-6 advantage in shots on goal. The Mavericks also won the battle for corner kicks 7-1.
McGough improves her record to 15-0 allowing just the one goal and making five saves on the afternoon.
The Mavericks will honor their seniors as they wrap up the regular season Sunday at home against Winona State at The Pitch. The opening kick is set for 1 p.m.
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