EAST GRAND FORKS, Minn. – Entering Sunday's matchup against Purdue Fort Wayne, Katie Moller didn't have much left to personally accomplish during her stellar four-year career at the University of North Dakota, but the senior forward turned in one of the best performances in program history in the 7-1 victory at East Grand Forks Senior High.
 
Moller scored four goals and added a helper to finish with nine points on the afternoon, becoming the first player in program history to accomplish the feat and matching the single-game Summit League record. The four tallies are also the first time since Jenna Barr's four goals on Aug. 28, 2005 against Bemidji State and only the fourth time in program history that a UND player has accomplished the feat.
 
In addition, the senior becomes UND's all-time leading goal scorer in the Division I era (2008-present) by passing Rachael Loomis' 27 career goals.
 
The six-goal margin of victory for North Dakota (9-4-2, 3-2-1 Summit League) is the largest during conference play since a 9-0 triumph over Augustana on Oct. 14, 2001 and the third largest since the program began. UND has now won seven of its nine games this season by three-or-more goals.
 
Olivia Knox struck for a pair of tallies for her first multi-goal outing as the freshman has now struck in three of the last five games for the Fighting Hawks. Veronica Kessler added her second goal of the season in the victory as the hosts also received points from Megan Wright, Mimi Eiden, Karly Sandoval, Sarah Doran, and Erin Svensson as eight different players found the scoresheet.
 
In the cage, Olivia Swenson was strong again with a pair of saves and helped the UND backline concede fewer than two goals for the 14th time this season. Purdue Fort Wayne's (3-12-3, 0-7-0 Summit League) goal in the 88th minute was only the fourth scored during conference play this season by the Mastodons.
 
The Fighting Hawks came out firing to open the game, earning a corner less than three minutes into the contest. The set piece turned into a quality first look for the hosts as Wright had her dangerous shot right in the box blocked by the defense and the ball sat in an opportune area before Purdue Fort Wayne was able to get the clear.
 
After a corner kick that was harmlessly cleared, UND's third chance at the set piece turned into its first goal of the contest. Moller swung a ball destined for the back post where it fell to the head of Knox and the freshman placed it into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead just 10 minutes into the match.
 
 UND kept up the offensive pressure after breaking the scoreless deadlock by quickly doubling its lead just nine minutes later. Wright forced a misplay by the Mastodon defense to take control of the ball and thread a nice ball to Knox in the middle of the box. There, the rookie chipped a shot over the goalkeeper for her second goal of the contest and a 2-0 advantage for the home squad.
 
Less than three minutes later UND nearly made it 3-0 when Moller's try from distance hit the post, but Eiden was first there to jump on the rebound opportunity and slam it into the net; however, the flag was up for offside and the goal was taken off the board.
 
Neither side could create many opportunities towards goal in the middle portion of the half, but the Hawks struck in back-to-back succession late in the first half to deliver a huge blow to the visitors right before the break.
 
Moller found her touch in the 41st minute when the senior blazed past the defense along the left side of the field and fired a shot into the right corner of the cage to finally give UND a 3-0 advantage with a strong individual play.
 
Just 39 seconds later the Hawks added more insurance when Doran hustled to the corner to win a ball and sent it into the box where it found the feet of Kessler. The senior collected and deposited the shot into the top corner to send the hosts into the locker room with a 4-0 lead.
 
Not looking to sit back, UND came out of the break with more offense on its mind as it did not take long for the Hawks to get on the scoreboard again. Just 1:36 into the second, Svensson played a deep ball ahead for Moller, who timed her run perfectly to get behind the defense, the senior made a slick move around the keeper, who was off her line, and placed the ball into the top corner for a 5-0 UND advantage and a record-breaking tally.
 
Moller polished off the hat trick in the 59th minute when the senior again timed her run perfectly to get behind the defense and received a perfect ball from Sandoval near the midfield stripe. The West Linn, Ore., native chipped the shot over the keeper, off the post, and over the line to seal her second hat trick of the season and of her career.
 
The senior wasn't finished, however, striking again in the 63rd minute on perhaps her finest strike of the afternoon. After Eiden made a great run downfield, the sophomore found Moller outside of the box where she faked to her left, spun to her right, and blistered a shot back to her left for the senior's fourth tally of the game and a 7-0 lead for the Hawks.
 
Purdue Fort Wayne broke the shutout bid in the 88th minute on a goal from Deanna Hect, but the Fighting Hawks ran out the remainder of the clock to cement the win.
 
North Dakota returns to action next Friday with a showdown against South Dakota State at 1 p.m. from EGF Senior High. The match will be the final home contest of the season.
 
NOTES: Moller now moves into fourth all-time on UND's career scoring list with 30 goals and sits five behind Dana Parry for third all-time … Her 30 tallies are the most by a UND player in the DI era (2008-present) … Moller also sits just seven points behind Loomis (75 points) to become the DI leader for points at UND … Knox's pair of goals were the first multi-goal match of her career … Olivia Swenson now sits tied for third among UND goalkeepers in wins with 15 … The six-goal margin of victory for UND is the largest during conference play since a 9-0 triumph over Augustana on Oct. 14, 2001 and the third largest since the program began … Shots finished 29-13 in favor of UND, including a 15-3 mark on goal … The Hawks finished with six corners to Purdue Fort Wayne's two.