Sophomore forward Taylor Uhl scored three goals and added an assist Thursday as the Gophers soccer team crushed Bowling Green 7-0 at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium.

Minnesota improved to 3-2 with the win, its first in a four-game homestand.

While Uhl’s goals came later, Allie Phillips helped the team take an early lead, as it has throughout the young season, with a third-minute goal off a free kick.

“We needed to start off strong,” senior defender Marissa Price said. “The first 10 [minutes] and the last 10 [minutes] — those are critical moments in the game, and we can’t give away goals. Putting the team under pressure right away really helps.”

In the 16th minute, Minnesota doubled its lead when freshman Haley Helverson beat goalkeeper Becca Ison with a chip. Price and sophomore Katie Thyken  assisted on the goal.

Minnesota goalkeeper Cat Parkhill went untested in the first half as the Gophers outshot BGSU 10-0. Seven of those shots were on frame.

Uhl broke open the game two minutes into the second half when she dangled around a Bowling Green defender in the penalty area and beat Ison with a left-footed strike.

The sophomore struck again four minutes later with another goal from deep inside the box.

Minnesota’s offense then cooled for a couple minutes before Taylor Wodnick lit up a shot from the top of the box after a back-pass from Uhl and made it 5-0.
Ison was pulled after Wodnick’s goal and replaced by Jenna Underwood.

Uhl notched her hat trick goal in the 74th minute. It Uhl’s third hat trick in her young college career, and she is the only Minnesota player to ever score three hat tricks. The program has 13 in its history.

“We knew their goalies were on the weaker side, so we took any half-chance — especially when you’re close to the net, we knew we had to do that,” Uhl said.

After Uhl’s goal, both teams made multiple substitutions, which included Kristen Knutson replacing Parkhill in net for the Gophers.

Freshman Allie Reinke capped off the scoring for the Gophers with her first-career goal with just more than 10 minutes remaining.

Minnesota ended the game with 23 shots, while BGSU managed only three. Eighteen of the Gophers’ shots were on goal.

The Gophers will next play Monday against Western Kentucky.