SEATTLE – The Washington State women's soccer team opened its 2015 season with a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Redhawks at Championship Field in Seattle, Friday. All four goals came in the first half of the match, with two of the Cougars' three goals scored off of set pieces.

“I'm very proud of this group,” first-year head coach Todd Shulenberger said. “We came out early and had two great opportunities on set pieces. Getting the lead opened everything up for us. We have to carry momentum now. At midnight this is over and it's on to Idaho next.”

The Cougars opened the match with a seventh-minute goal from redshirt-junior Susie White. Junior Kaitlyn Johnson played a corner into the box, which bounced around before Susie White poked it into the back of the net. The goal was White's second-career goal.

In the 10th minute, freshman Grace Hancock connected on a corner from Kaitlyn Johnson. The Boise, Idaho native headed home the goal in her collegiate debut, becoming the first freshman to score in a WSU season opener since current junior Kailana Johnson scored in WSU's 3-1 victory over Seattle, Aug. 23, 2013.

Freshman Tia Gavin added a third goal for Washington State in the 39th minute, collecting a rebounded shot and finishing down the middle of the net.

The Redhawks responded just one minute later with a 40th-minute goal by Hunter Mar. Mar trapped a cleared ball at the top of the box and found the back of the net as the ball deflected off of a Cougar on the way to the goal.

After returning from halftime, WSU continued to maintain possession, but failed to add to their first-half lead. Late in the game, junior Kailiana Johnson was shown a yellow card for a strong challenge at the edge of WSU's box. In total, WSU took 19 shots to Seattle's seven. Redshirt-freshman keeper Ella Dederick picked up her first win, having made three saves to the Redhawks' eight.

The Cougars return to action, Sunday, Aug. 23, as they welcome Idaho to Lower Soccer Field in Pullman, Wash., at 7 p.m.

COUGAR NOTES

Kaitlyn Johnson's two assists mark the first multiple-assist match by a Cougar since Cara Wegner tallied two assists in WSU's season opener against TCU last season…freshmen Maegan O'Neill (start), Grace Hancock (start), Tia Gavin, and redshirt-freshman Ella Dederick (start) each made their collegiate debut for Washington State…WSU improved to 11-1-0 all-time against Seattle with 27 goals for and eight goals against in the series history…the Cougars improve to 22-9-4 all-time in the month of August…with the victory, WSU extends its current streak when leading at halftime, to 27 matches…Washington State hasn't lost when leading at halftime since Oct. 29, 2010 at USC.