The Minot native had scored her ninth goal of the season, nine minutes into the second half, to cap her first-ever collegiate hat trick for the Minot State women’s soccer team.

Three goals from Lewis, along with a late cushion-padding goal by Jannely Rangel, secured a 4-0 win for the Beavers (6-4-2, 4-4-1 NSIC) Sunday afternoon over Minnesota Crookston (1-9-2, 1-6-2 NSIC) at Herb Parker Stadium.

“This feels better than our last couple of games,” MSU head coach Jason Spain said with a laugh. “We trained really well this week. We gave up an unlucky goal to Bemidji (on Friday) and you could see the air come out our sails. Today looked a lot more like how we trained.”

MSU came into the conference contest struggling heavily on offense with only one goal in its last five games. Nearing the five minute mark on Sunday, Lewis broke out of her five-game slump in which she failed to pick up a point and only put three shots on goal.

MSU senior Haley Berryman (18) fights through two Minnesota Crookston defenders Sunday at Herb Parker Stadium.

Senior forward Haley Berryman got Lewis going by whipping in a cross from the corner. Calm and composed, Lewis squared up a shot that zipped past Crookston goalkeeper Athena DiMario Done.

“It was nice to get Sofia (Lewis) to break the ice,” Spain said. “She was in her own head a little bit.”

Lewis upped the wow factor on her second goal that came roughly 13 minutes later. Running at the defense, Lewis cut inside from the left wing and found an opening. Crookston had backed off for a brief moment and allowed Lewis to shoot from distance.

A low-driven shot from 30 yards out went across the goal and nestled into the right corner.

The unassisted strike had the Beavers up 2-0 at halftime.

“I thought we played well, regardless of the level of our opponent,” Spain said. “They were unbeaten in their previous three (road) matches. Tied Mary on Friday, tied Winona and beat Upper Iowa. So, it’s just good to get a win.”

Sitting on two goals, the elusive hat trick was once again in view for Lewis. She had been here before, putting together four two-goal games in 29 career games at Minot State.

She wasn’t going to be denied this time around.

Bodying off a defender in the 54th minute, Lewis was slipped through on a pass by Andrea Franco and finished from close range with a finesse shot to the back post.

Lewis, on her 21st career goal for MSU (tied for second-most in school history with Chloe Melton), became the first Beaver to register a hat trick since 2016 when Melton accomplished the feat against Upper Iowa.

“It means a lot,” Spain said about getting Lewis rolling again. “And I think she scored a fourth one too, at least it looked like it… The linesman was in a bad spot, but I think that went in. Unlucky though.”

Spain emptied out his bench and made sure everyone got playing time in the final 25 minutes.

Rangel used the opportunity to score her second goal of the season by lobbing the ball over DiMario Done. Jordyn Cook was credited with the assist.

“It helps in training,” Spain said about going to his bench. “Those last 10 players are pretty good and if they feel like there is a chance to get in (to a match), then they will raise their level in training and they don’t let people slack. So, hopefully everything will snowball for us in the right direction.”

Minot State outshot Crookston 21-2 (12-0 shots on target). No saves were needed for MSU starting goalkeeper Erin Rafferty, who was eventually replaced by backup Mackenzie Long with 13 minutes remaining in regulation.

The Beavers travel to Sioux Falls (4-7-1, 3-5-1 NSIC) next on Friday for an NSIC match starting at 5 p.m.

Alex Eisen covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on

Twitter @AEisen13.