ASHLAND, Ore. – A 12-minute second half offensive outburst turned a close match into a runaway, as Southern Oregon topped Oregon Tech, 5-1, in a Cascade Conference women's soccer match-up at Raider Stadium.
 
The Raiders (5-1-1, 2-0-1 CCC) snapped Tech's 4-match win streak and topped their rivals for the first time in the regular season since 2021.
 
Through the first 50 minutes – the match went back-and-forth – with the lone goal coming in the 30th minute as Frida Vargas slipped a through-ball through traffic in the middle of the box, with Lucia Finney running onto the pass and flicking home the opening goal inside the left post.
 
After the Lady Owls (6-2-1, 2-1) had a pair of chances to tie the game late in the period, SOU took advantage of a couple bounces to break the game open.
 
Brooklyn Hayes took a 53rd minute pass from Sierra Betzler and split two defenders in the box, tucking a shot inside the left post to make it 2-0. Just 77 seconds later, SOU took advantage of a missed clearance by Tech, with Mia Ammons touching a pass to Emily Hyde, who chipped a ball off the head of an Owl defender – with the shot trickling into the goal.
 
Kaylah Bresee made it 4-0 in the 60th minute, making a long run down the right sideline and hammering a shot into the upper left corner of the net.  The Raiders made it 5-0 just five minutes later, as a second failed clearance by OIT allowed Tori Lasch an opening, driving home a 25-yard shot.
 
OIT avoided a shutout, as freshman Brynne Cope lined a left-footed 20-yard shot into the left corner of the net in the 67th minute. The Lady Owls had an 11-6 edge in shots in the second half, but could not get closer.
 
Both teams have the rest of the weekend off before heading to Montana to meet Carroll College and Rocky Mountain.