Thiebaut nets two goals, Stumpf, Martinet combine on shutout.

By Anthony Sandstrom, CSU-Pueblo Athletics

SAN ANGELO, Tex. (GoThunderWolves.com - Sept. 10, 2010) - When young teams are looking to mesh and become a unit, there is always that one game when it happens before your eyes.

Friday was that day for the CSU-Pueblo Women's Soccer team.

After opening the season 0-2, CSU-Pueblo meshed both offensively and defensively and turned in a dominating win, defeating Texas-Permian Basin 4-0 on a neutral field at Angelo State University.

Led by quick-shooting forward, Katie Thiebaut (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.), who netted two goals in scoring her first points as a ThunderWolf, CSU-Pueblo outshot the Falcons 18-11 and got nine shots on goal in earning the team's first win of 2010.

Defensively, the ThunderWolves were strong, allowing a season-low in shots and allowing keepers Jessica Stumpf (Sr., Perry Hall, Md.) and Katie Martinet (Jr., Pueblo, Colo.) easy work in goal, making a total of five saves in turning in the Pack's first shutout since Oct. 18 last season, a span of eight games.

"Our defense got behind the ball and impacted well," Pack coach Janet Cassidy said.  "Today, it seemed like everything clicked and we're playing as a unit.  I was very pleased with the effort."

The Pack struck first blood just 3:12 into the game, when Thiebaut took a feed from Jessa Cook (Sr., Idaho Falls, Idaho) and turned a one-on-one situation into the Pack's first goal.  It was a good ice-breaker for Thiebaut, who had uncorked 16 shots this season and put nine on goal before finally connecting on what would be the game-winner for the ThunderWolves.

Cook added the second goal off a corner kick in the game's 32nd minute to put the Pack up 2-0 going into halftime.  Then Thiebaut netted her second goal as Melissa Christensen (Jr., Kenosha, Wisc.) got a great foot ball through the Falcon defense and set Thiebaut up to beat two defenders and fire the ball over the keeper's head to secure a 3-0 lead.

The final goal came on the first career score by Avila Garcia (So., Bosque Farms, N.M.) in the 82nd minute.

The ThunderWolves will look to build on this success Sunday, when it takes on Angelo State, a tough team from the Lone Star Conference that will be a big test for the Pack.

"It should be a tough and challenging game, but we feel we're up for the challenge," Cassidy said.  "Everything is clicking right now and that should make a huge difference."