CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Freshman striker Kayla Liggett scored three times in the first 30 minutes of the match, as the Parkland women's soccer team shutout John Wood, 5-0, on Saturday. Holding the Blazers without a shot on goal in the final 83 minutes, the Cobras improve to 3-8 on the season.

"It was good to get the win today, especially with a few of our attacking players out with injury," said head coach Tim Notz. "The girls played with more patience, connected more passes and controlled the game. We have to work on how we connect our defense, midfield and forward lines when we have the ball, but it is looking better than before."

A native of Danville, Illinois, Liggett led the Parkland offense to four goals in a 15-minute spurt midway through the first half to take control of the match. Liggett scored the final three goals of the run, doing so off passes from three different teammates.

Following two shots on goal by John Wood in the opening seven minutes, both saved by goalie Kierra Dahlgren, the Cobras took control of the match. After multiple attempts on the left side by freshman Mayra Sosa, the pressure paid off in the 16^th minute when Sosa found Kailey McQueen in the middle of the box for the Urbana, Illinois native's first goal of the season.
Liggett then began her 12-minute onslaught of the John Wood back line, beginning in the 17^th minute off a pass from midfielder Beatriz Meneghin that Liggett punched in to double the Parkland lead, 2-0. Four minutes later, Liggett again receieved the ball deep in Blazer territory off a pass from Mylena Do Prado on a right side for a goal inside the left post. The third goal of the hat trick came with 14 minutes remaining in the half, scoring on a header off a pass from Sosa, Sosa's second assist of the match.

Taking a 4-0 lead into the second half, the Cobras kept John Wood from putting a shot on goal for the full 45 minutes. After a handful of opportunities to begin the half, Grace Redden scored the final goal of the day for Parkland in the 64^th minute.

Up next, Parkland will look to win its second match in three days when it hosts Scott on Monday afternoon at 4 p.m. central time.