Box Score and Play-by-Play

THIBODAUX - Senior forward Kaity Mattsson turned in her third career three-goal game and her second of the season on Sunday as the Nicholls State University women's soccer team (6-2-1) scored five unanswered goals to beat Grambling (0-8) by a final of 6-2 on Sunday. 

Mattsson's hat trick gave her 11 goals on the season and bettered her own single season school record for the third straight year.  As a sophomore, Mattsson set the school record with eight in 2008.  In 2009, Mattsson one-upped herself with nine.  Now, as a senior, the Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada native has turned in 11 through the first nine matches of the 18-match regular season.

Mattsson, who set the school career goals scored record last season, now boasts a career total that stands at 32.  Her single season points record of 24 betters her previous school record of 19 last year and her school career record point total (also set in 2009) currently stands at 68.

However, the Colonel would have to come from behind early as a speedy Grambling attack got off to a fast start.  The Tigers took pushed ahead early on and took advantage of an injury-depleted Nicholls defense to score twice in the first 23 minutes.

Grambling took advantage of a corner kick at 16:05, as Courtney Blunt's shot through traffic off a corner from Ashley Baker to give the Tigers an early lead.  Nicholls rallied on Mattsson's ninth goal of the season at the 19:58 mark.  The Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada native tied her 2009 record by beating a Grambling defender off a long run from midfield and beating the keeper at the 19:58 mark to tie it at 1-1.

However, Grambling answered three minutes later as DeJuane Harden-Bell found the top right corner of the net on a strike from just outside the penalty box to make it 2-1 at the 22:56 mark.

Nicholls evened things up late in the half as junior midfielder Carolyn Noble went on a run from midfield before setting up freshman forward Nicole Doherty who beat the Tiger netminder in the low right corner to tie the match 2-2 in the 41st minute.

After halftime, the Colonels came out strong as Mattsson set up freshman forward Alexandra Marino down the left side in the fourth minute of the second half.  The freshman put it away to give Nicholls it's first lead of the match.

Nicholls continued to press ahead as less than 1:30 later, Mattsson struck again with her second goal of the game and tenth of the season.  Mattsson's goal came through traffic off a corner kick from junior midfielder Sam Etherington to make it 4-2 at the 49:33 mark.

After being dragged down in the penalty box on a breakaway at the 59:37 mark, Mattsson converted on a penalty kick for her third goal of the match and school record 11th of the season.  Forward Kandice Champagne finished the scoring with an impressive 25-yard strike through traffic and into the top left corner of the net to make it 6-2 at the 71:55 mark.

The Colonels will return to action on Oct. 1 when Nicholls hits the road to take on Lamar in their 2010 Southland Conference season opener.  After an Oct. 3 road match at McNeese, the Colonels will return to Nicholls to host Southeastern Louisiana on Oct. 10.