ASHLAND – The Southern Oregon women's soccer team took a big step toward Cascade Conference contention with its most impressive effort of the season Friday, an emphatic 5-1 win over Oregon Tech at Raider Stadium's Laurel Field.

Five different players tallied for the Raiders, whose goal total was the highest given up by any OIT team in 10 years and gave them their widest margin of victory in the rivalry series since 2011. After going into halftime with a 1-0 lead thanks to a Lucia Finney score assisted by Frida Vargas in the 33rd minute, they piled on four more within the first 20 minutes of the second half.

At 5-1-1 overall, the Raiders are off to the best seven-game start in team history and among three unbeaten teams left in Cascade Conference play at 2-0-1.

The Owls – who were picked to finish second in the conference and had taken their only previous loss against No. 12-ranked Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) – stumbled to 6-2-1 and 2-1-0.

The Raiders' lead ballooned in a hurry. Brooklyn Hayes created a shot off of Sierra Betzler's assist in the 53rd minute to make it 2-0, and a little over a minute later Mia Ammons found Emily Hyde in space to put SOU up three. Ammons tacked on another assist in the 60th, finding Kaylah Bresee, and Tori Lasch supplied the finishing touches unassisted in the 65th.

Hayes and Lasch are both up to three goals this season, and Bresee's was her second. Vargas now ranks third in the CCC with five assists and has goal involvements in each of SOU's five victories.

Brynne Cope broke up the shutout for the Owls with a goal in the 67th minute. SOU keeper Brittany Standley prevented further damage by making four saves.

OIT had won the last two regular-season meetings.

The Raiders play their first CCC road games next week, Thursday at Rocky Mountain (Mont.) and Saturday at Carroll (Mont.).