POTSDAM -- Senior forward Heather Johnson (Heuvelton, N.Y./Heuvelton) scored twice for the SUNY Potsdam women’s soccer team as the Bears rolled past Hilbert College 4-0 in the first round of the Potsdam College Cup.

Junior midfielder Ashley Thayer (Winthrop, N.Y./St. Lawrence Central) and sophomore forward Nina Komosinski (Akron, N.Y./Akron) also scored for Potsdam.

The Bears controlled the play from the outset, pinning the Hawks in their own half of the field. Potsdam’s offense was slow to heat up, but finished the half with several strong chances.

The Bears got on the board in the 25th minute as a Hilbert defender deflected a shot from Thayer past Hawk freshman goalkeeper Erin Smith (Woodbourne, N.Y./Tri-Valley).

Potsdam sustained the pressure, but didn’t strike again in the opening period.

Johnson wasted no time in the second half. The forward caught a long pass from sophomore midfielder Kate Clauss (Bloomfield, N.Y./Bloomfield), side stepped Smith and dribbled the ball across the goal line less than three minutes into the final 45 minutes.

Four and a half minutes later, the duo hooked up again to make it a 3-0 Bears’ advantage. At 59:42, Komosinski put the game away with a Potsdam’s fourth marker.

In goal, freshman Jaime Durant (Loudonville, N.Y./Shaker) didn’t see much action, stopping the two shots she faced to record her first collegiate victory and shutout. Smith finished with nine saves. The Bears outshot Hilbert 16-2.

“I thought we played pretty well for the most part,” said Head Coach Mark Misiak.

“We definitely could have played better. We scored some pretty nice goals, but we weren’t very dynamic for most of the game. Still, it’s always nice to keep a clean sheet and to see Jaime earn a shutout in her first college game."

The Bears (1-0) look to claim the Cup title when they square off against Cazenovia College at 11 a.m. Sunday morning.