ANDERSON, S.C. - With just under 40 shots and 18 shots on goal for the match, Anderson University women's soccer cruised to a 6-0 blanking over Coker in its South Atlantic Conference opener on Wednesday afternoon at Trojan Stadium.

With the victory, the Trojans claim their fifth straight victory to open the season, continuing their chase for the best start in program history of a 6-0, while the Cobras, who also opened their SAC schedule on Wednesday, fall to 1-3 on the year.

Anderson totaled 39 shots for the 90 minutes, including 20 in the final period. Substitute Alaina Gay paced the Black and Gold with seven shots, placing four on goal, headlined by an 83rd minute goal to end AU's scoring. Teammates Emily Cowan and Idoia Agirre followed with six shots apiece, as Agirre added her 10th goal of the season and continued her scoring streak in the 53rd minute. Finishing with four shots was Marie Yasmine Alidou, who netted a pair of goals to increase her season total to five, while sophomore Lyssa Engle matched Alidou's goal effort with a pair of goals on her only two shots of the match.

Freshman goalkeeper Abby Helm did not record a save for the afternoon, as she was credited with her fifth victory of the season. Classmate Bianca Porras entered the match in the 82nd minute for Helm and sealed the shutout, seeing three shots.

Within their 19 shots to open the first half, Alidou began the Trojan scoring spree in the third minute of action when was fed a cross from teammate Megan Foster. Alidou found herself alone in the box and slotted a shot past Coker goalkeeper Shelby Middleton to give AU a quick 1-0 lead. For Forster, the assist was her second of the season.

The Trojans waited until the 39th minute to find their second goal of the first half when Engle fired a shot to Middleton's right to increase Anderson's lead. Alidou was credited with the assist for her third point of the afternoon.

With a 2-0 advantage following the halftime break, Alidou struck again in the 48th minute when a long ball by senior defender Faith Johannes was flicked forward by Agirre. The forward found Alidou in the box and she netted her final goal of the afternoon to increase AU's lead to 3-0.

Moments later in the 53rd minute, Agirre found the scoresheet when she grabbed a through ball from freshman Kenzie Van Heusen. In the middle of the box, Agirre became the first player in the SAC to earn double-figure goals with her 10th of the season and gave the home side a convincing 4-0 lead. For Van Heusen, the assist was her lone point of the afternoon.

Engle notched her second goal of the day in the 64th minute when Agirre sent a cross into box and the Fairborn, Ohio native sent a one-timer past Middleton for the goal. For Engle, the multi-goal match was her first since a 4-2 win over Carson-Newman in last year's regular-season finale. For her career, Engle has scored six goals against the Cobras in two matches.

Gay sealed the Trojan attack in the 83rd minute when Alidou found her closing in on the Coker box. For Gay, the goal was her first of the season, becoming the eighth different goal scorer for the Black and Gold this campaign.

"It's important to start conference play off with a win and we were very convincing winners today," Anderson head coach Ciaran Traquair said. "We started slowly, but ended strong and got to play a lot of different players. All focus now goes to the weekend and we will prepare as best we can."

The Trojans visit SAC rival Wingate on Saturday in a battle of unbeaten teams. Kick-off from the Tar Heel State is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.