SALISBURY, MD - Payton Cichowski scored two goals and five other Banana Slugs found the net as third-seeded UC Santa Cruz defeated sixth seed Mills College 7-0 in the First Round of the Coast-To-Coast Conference Tournament.
UC Santa Cruz won for the fifth time in their last six games to improve to 8-8-2.
It was the first time in the 26-game rivalry between the two Northern California schools that they played in a state other than California. The Cyclones weathered the Banana Slugs' pressure for over ten minutes before Cichowski made it 1-0. She got a pass from Amanda Scott at the top of the box that put her one-on-one with the Mills goalie before shooting it in the goal.
Sophia Makarem made it 2-0 in the 27th minute after a steal at the edge of the box and slotting it home from five yards for her first goal of the season. 8:19 later, Arianna LePage got her head on a ball from Kayla Alexander at the near post to make it 3-0. It was LePage's first goal in a Banana Slug uniform.
UC Santa Cruz added four goals in the second half to put the game away. In the 60th minute, it was Cichowski again, who got a free header from ten yards off of Ainsley Smith's cross for her 10th goal of the year. Rainie Dabbs added one in the 78th minute to make 5-0. Chella Grattet got off a right-footer from 17 yards that made it 6-0 with 7:30 left before Alexander finished the scoring in the 87th minute when she cleaned up a clearance from the top of the box. It was her first-ever UCSC goal.

Samantha Coelho got her fifth shutout of the season in goal as UCSC held Mills without a shot. Mills goalkeeper Anais Uriarte finished with 12 saves.
The Banana Slugs play No. 2 seed Mary Washington Friday morning in the Conference semifinal.