SAN BRUNO, Calif. — The Academy of Art University women's soccer team shined just as brightly as the sun Tuesday and got just as hot at Skyline College, scoring three unanswered goals to defeat Cal State Monterey Bay 3-1 for its first win of 2015.
 
The three-goal outburst represented the Urban Knights' (1-2) first goals of the season. Freshman defender Natalie Rhodes, senior forward Réa Laudat and sophomore midfielder Laney Haviland all scored goals, with Laudat adding an assist on Haviland's goal for a three-point day. It was Haviland's and Rhodes' first career goals and points. Senior midfielder Esme Garner-Purkis also logged her first career point with an assist on Laudat's eventual game-winning goal in the second half.
 
Tuesday's 3-1 victory over Cal State Monterey Bay (1-2) was the Knights' first-ever win over a California Collegiate Athletic Association member. The Otters had previously beaten ART U twice, both times in Seaside, Calif. It was also the Urban Knights' first comeback win in two years dating to a 2-1 win over Simon Fraser (B.C.) on Sept. 7, 2013.

 
The Otters struck first early, taking a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute on a goal from leading scorer Kristen Womack, her fourth in the season's first three games. Womack received a crossing through-ball by teammate Seana Saladrigas and attacked deep into the box before letting off a shot. Freshman goalkeeper Morgan Wirz made a diving save on Womack's first shot, but the ball rolled loose to the right, allowing Womack to tap it in from a short five yards away to take the lead.
 
Scoreless soccer was played for more than 35 minutes with the Otters continuing to control possession. But ART U knotted it up before halftime with Rhodes' first career goal in the 43rd minute. Laudat fired a shot from 21 yards away, but it was blocked by a CSUMB defender. The loose ball found Rhodes coming up to the left, and she fired away from 18 yards out, burying the ball above and past a diving Victoria Whyte.
 
Laudat broke the tie 18 minutes into the second half with her first goal of the season. Garner-Purkis fed a charging Laudat a similar through-ball that CSUMB's Womack had received from right to left. Laudat took it deep and wide into the box before firing a long shot that sailed over Whyte's head and just inside the far post to make it 2-1.
 
Momentum continued to shift as Academy of Art outshot Cal State Monterey Bay 7-2 in the second half (14-12 in the game). The game was sealed in the 83rd minute when Haviland got inside the box after beating the defense on a pass from sophomore midfielder Kendall Bozart. The pass was the third such feed to go diagonally from right to left, finding the goal scorer beating the defense up the left side. Haviland took the ball deep into the box and beat Whyte to make it 3-1.
 
Laudat led the Urban Knights with seven shots (3 on goal). Michelle Garrone led CSUMB with three shots (1 on goal). Maggie Alikpala-Wilson earned her first career victory with 45 minutes of shutout soccer in the second half and one save. Wirz logged two saves in the first half.
 
Academy of Art next hosts Montana State Billings at noon Saturday at CCSF in the programs' first-ever meeting.