TYLER – Brittany Matthews became the first UT Tyler Patriot player in program history to record three hat tricks in a season or career with a three-goal performance in a 4-1 win over Belhaven on Thursday at the Citizen’s 1st Bank-Perkins Soccer Complex.
The Patriots (8-2), who got on the board first with a 18th minute goal from Kathleen Johnson, extended a season-best six-game winning streak with the victory and will now host Louisiana College at 4 p.m. on Saturday in their Homecoming game. UT Tyler improved to 3-0 at home with the victory that came against the Blazers who do not count towards the ASC standings as they transition to NCAA Division III.
Matthews scored two of her three goals in the first half in the 29th and 35th minutes to give the Patriots a 3-0 halftime lead before heading in the fourth goal off an assist from Kaelyn Steitz. Her second goal was also a header off a pass from Jessica L’Hoste.
Johnson, who scored an unassisted goal to start scoring, now has four goals this season and eight in her career. Emily Hurley would finish with two saves in the game, including a penalty kick save to keep the game scoreless. Belhaven would get its only goal of the game though minutes later with Erica Rampel scoring the 50th minute of play.
Matthews now has 26 career goals which ranks fifth all-time and is one behind the career total of Chestley Strother (2012-15) and Kendall Kramer (2007-10). The hat trick was the seventh in UT Tyler program history and her third of the season. No other player had more than one in a season, while Morgan Monzingo is the only other Patriot to have more than one. Matthews also had three-goal games against McMurry and Sul Ross this season after not having a multi-goal performance in her first three seasons for the Patriots.
UT Tyler finished the game with an 18-3 shots on goal advantage with Johnson and Matthews both having four each, and Bailey Wooten and Caitlyn Mortus having two each.
