The South Dakota women's soccer team picked up its first win of the 2022 season by erupting for eight goals on Tuesday night against Dordt University. The Coyotes also kept Dordt off the board for their first shutout of the season as well. With the win, USD moves to 1-3-1 on the year while Dordt falls to 1-3 in 2022.
 
South Dakota came out of the gates firing and scored six goals within the first 30 minutes of action. The first goal of the game came nearing the ninth minute when USD was granted a corner kick on the far side of the field. Taylor Cotter took the corner kick and put it in the middle of the box for Taylor Ravelo. Ravelo headed the ball past the keeper to give the Coyotes the early lead. The lead doubled just five minutes later at the 13:50 mark off the foot of Shaylee Gailus who just checked into the game. Gailus had her initial shot blocked on the right side of the goal and managed to score from a tough angle for her second goal of the year. Just under two minutes later, Taylor Cotter got into the action and knocked in her second goal of the season as well. Cotter was running on the left side of the field when Ashby Johnston fed her a beautiful ball through the Dordt defense. Cotter angled in and was all alone inside the box when she slid one past Dordt's Elianna Van Hulzen. Lexie Wood continued the offensive effort with her first goal of the season in the 19th minute of play. With Gailus running down the right side of the field, the forward crossed a ball into the box with plenty of Coyotes to reach. Wood rushed in from the top of the box and tapped the ball for the fourth goal of the night. Two penalty kick conversions later from Haylee Phoenix and Gailus and USD took a 6-0 lead into the break.
 
The Coyotes had plenty of chances in the second half to increase the lead even further, but the Defenders' Hailey De Witt made some quality saves to hault the scoring efforts. South Dakota scored its seventh goal of the night just past the 80th minute. On their ninth corner kick of the game, Christin Schmidt took the corner and sent a ball that was bending straight towards the goal. DU's De Witt caught the ball but was past the line when she caught it. Officials convened and awarded Schmidt her first goal of the year. Morgan Sullivan capped off the scoring effort as time was dwindling down in the contest. After De Witt came out of her goal to challenge a ball, she knocked the rebound right at the feet of Sullivan who buried USD's eight goal of the night.
 
Caroline Lewis started in net tonight for the Coyotes and made the lone save of the evening. Isabelle Harkleroad and Waverly Patterson saw time on the pitch and all three combined for the shutout.
 
The Coyotes recorded 34 shots with 23 of those on goal. Phoenix took six shots tonight to lead USD followed by five from Rylee Haldeman and four each from Tiannah Moore and Kiah Pieters. Moore and Phoenix led the team with three shots on goal apiece.
 
South Dakota looks to carry the momentum with them back to the west coast for a couple of weekend contests in Utah. The Coyotes will play Southern Utah on Friday night before traveling to Utah Tech for a Sunday afternoon match.