DENTON – For the seventh-straight season, North Texas soccer began in winning fashion with a 3-0 defeat of Incarnate Word Friday night at the Mean Green Soccer Field. The Mean Green dominated on offense, outshooting the Cardinals 37-2.

"I liked the pressure we were able to put on them throughout the game, especially in the second half," North Texas head coach John Hedlund said. "We just have to do a better job of putting some of those in."

After peppering the Cardinals with 17 shots through 44 minutes, freshman Olivia Klein opened the scoring with her first career goal after dribbling past the defender and putting the ball to the left of the goalie to give the Mean Green a 1-0 lead.

"It felt real good," Klein said. "In the first two games, I was struggling with my confidence, but it came after that first goal."

Not all their chances were quite as methodical as Elle Marie DeFrain collected a ball just shy of the midfield line and rocketed a ball that snuck between the keeper's right arm and the bar, doubling North Texas' lead in the 56^th minute.

"We needed a goal," DeFrain said. "There was no one around me. The forwards were all marked. I was wide open so I was just going to rip it and see what happened."

Ten minutes later, Aaliyah Nolan added to the lead with her eighth career goal, beating the defender at the top of the box and slotting one past Sydney Hutsinger with ease.
 
UP NEXT
North Texas looks to start 2-0 for the sixth time in the last seven years when it hosts Alabama at 1 p.m. Sunday.

QUICK FACTS
 - Sophomore Ariel Diaz led the team with nine shots, but couldn't find the back of the net.
 - The Mean Green are 17-5-1 in season openers and unbeaten in their last 13.
 - Friday's win marks the third straight season-opening win over Incarnate Word.