NEWBERRY – The Newberry Wolves women’s soccer team opened the season with an impressive offensive display on Saturday defeating Alabama-Huntsville 5-3 at the Smith Road Complex.

The Wolves (1-0, 0-0 South Atlantic Conference) were led by senior midfield Sarah Sager (Saugus, Calif.) who recorded her first career hat trick and scored the go ahead goal for the Wolves with 15 minutes remaining off a left footed volley. Sager also opened the scoring just 7:45 into the game scoring off a penalty kick.

Newberry pushed their lead to 2-0 when junior midfielder Lupita Magana (Santa Paula, Calif.) scored off a brilliant free kick from 25 yards out bending it around the wall and placing it into the top corner of the net. Senior forward Brayden Miller (Lyman, S.C.) added another score after taking a rip from 25 yards that flew into the back of the net.

Junior goalkeeper Alexis Carillo (La Puente, Calif.) then suffered a head injury on a collision off a corner kick and was replaced by sophomore Cheyenne Mullins (Duncan, S.C.). After the injury timeout, Alabama-Huntsville (0-1, 0-0 Gulf South) got back into the game as the netted the next two goals.

Melody Dodd took a shoot from her left foot at 31:41 mark and tucked it in at the far post just past the keeper’s arms and Summer Mooney tucked another one away with five minutes remaining in the half off an assist from Dodd. Mooney’s shot bounced over the keeper’s head to bring the game to half at 3-2.

The second half saw an even back and forth matchup until Sager’s goal broke the deadlock on a volley from 8 yards out to beat the keeper. The Wolves finally put the game away as Sager made it a lucky three when she got a one-on-one with the goalie and just slotted it into the far left post to make the score 5-3 with just over seven minutes remaining.

Newberry held off the UAH charge by keeping possession for most of the remainder of the half and ran the clock out.

The Wolves return to action on September 9 at home against Belmont Abbey.