Penelope Hocking Breaks USC Women's Soccer's Career Scoring Record in 4-1 Win Over Colorado

Thursday, October 7

Los Angeles, Calif.

4:00 PM

USC

9-2-0, 4-0-0

Colorado

6-5-1, 1-2-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Colorado	0	1	1
USC	3	1	4

HIGHLIGHTS Photos

Photo by: Jenny Chuang

Penelope Hocking Breaks USC Women's Soccer's Career Scoring Record in 4-1 Win Over Colorado

October 07, 2021 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Highlights Box Score (PDF)

LOS ANGELES – Penelope Hocking scored her 49th career goal in the first half of a 4-1 win over Colorado on Thursday, breaking a program scoring record which had stood for over 20 years.

The win was the ninth straight for the red-hot Trojans, who move to 9-2 overall and 4-0 in Pac-12 play. Colorado falls to 6-5-1 overall and 1-2-1 in conference action. Hocking's record-breaking strike pushed the senior forward past Isabelle Harvey (1996-2000) in the USC record book and gives her the 15th most goals in Pac-12 history.

Hocking appeared to have broken the record in the 6th minute when she ran on a bouncing ball off a Buffalo defender and chased it in, but upon review it was deemed an own goal as Hocking never touched it. Seven minutes later though, it was Hocking who sent a cross in that Savannah DeMelo flicked on and Jada Talley finished at the far post to make it 2-0 USC.

Hocking's 49th collegiate goal came in the 21st minute, when she started a run up the right side and then cut towards the center of the pitch and fired a ball with her left foot from about 20 yards out that curved its way inside the left post and in for a wondrous strike.

The Trojans carried a 3-0 lead into the half after holding Colorado to just one shot and one corner in the first 45 minutes.

Simone Jackson provided the exclamation point in the 53rd minute, when she got her own rebound in the box and fired it home. The play was set up by a beautiful combination of passes from Croix Bethune and Savannah DeMelo to get Jackson in scoring position.

The Buffaloes broke through with their lone goal in the 76th minute, when Ellen Jones sent home a rebound off the post. Colorado was held to seven shots and one corner kick in the game.

GOALS
6' – USC: OWN GOAL – Jada Talley sent a cross into the box that hit off a Colorado defender and rolled in.

13' – USC: Jada Talley (assisted by Penelope Hocking, Savannah DeMelo) – Hocking worked her way to the endline and fired in a cross from the right side that DeMelo flicked on across the face of the goal to Talley who was there to finish at the far post.

21' – USC: Penelope Hocking (unassisted) – Hocking got the ball on the right side and cut towards the center of the pitch just outside the 18-yard box, firing a shot with her left foot that curved perfectly into the upper left corner.

53' – USC: Simone Jackson (assisted by Croix Bethune, Savannah DeMelo) – Bethune slipped a ball to DeMelo near the top of the penalty area and DeMelo sent a one-touch pass to a cutting Jackson, who fired a quick shot off the hands of the charging keeper and immediately followed by punching home the rebound.

76' – COL: Ellen Jones (assisted by Shanade Hopcroft, Sofia Weiner) – Weiner sent a ball into the box and Hopcroft just missed a goal when she headed it off the far post, but Jones was right there to fire home the rebound.

UP NEXT
The Trojans continue play at home, hosing Utah on Sunday at 2 p.m. That game can be seen on the Pac-12 Network.

Hear from the record-breaker herself, @hockingpenelope, after her 49th career goal today! #FightOn pic.twitter.com/ajLBgTTbZo
— USC Women's Soccer (@USC_WSoccer) October 8, 2021

Hear from Head Coach @Kmcdane after an historic day at McAlister Field! #FightOn pic.twitter.com/Q0WObEqRJw
— USC Women's Soccer (@USC_WSoccer) October 8, 2021