MINNEAPOLIS - Redshirt freshman forward Steph Brandt scored her first-career goal and sophomore forward Allie Phillips tallied her third scoring shot in two games as the Minnesota women's soccer team picked up its fourth-straight win on Friday night in a 2-0 shutout over UC-Santa Barbara.

Playing without senior defender and Hermann Trophy contenderJennie Clark, who broke her collarbone in last Tuesday's win over Belmont, the Gophers defense limited the Gauchos to 11 total shots and just two shots on goal.  Junior Tamara Strahota moved to the center back to replace Clark and helped the defensive unit along with sophomore goalie Cat Parkhill produced the team's second-straight shutout.

"I'm really proud of our team. We had some adversity this week...and came back (from a three-game road trip) and had one day of training for a really good UCSB team," Minnesota head coach Mikki Denney Wright said. "I was really proud of how our team stepped up and how Tam Strahota stepped into that spot. She had one day to learn the center back position - she's never played - and I thought she did outstanding."

After a scoreless first half, Phillips wouldn't wait long to unknot the game when she curved a wide-angle shot over Gaucho goalkeeper Makenna Henry's head and into the far netting to put the Gophers up by one just 1:36 into the second half. Phillips goal, her third of the season, was set up by senior midfiedler Molly Rouse. Brandt, meanwhile, would put the icing on the cake with her first-career goal in the 88th minute when she caught a bouncing pass from defender Marissa Price and launched a shot from the middle of the field.

Minnesota (4-1-0) carried over its high-octane offense that scored seven goals against Belmont just four days ago by recording 20 total shots in the win over UC-Santa Barbara including eight shots on goal. Phillips paced Minnesota with five shots, landing three of them on goal. Brandt, Rouse and freshman forward MacKenzie Misel each had three attempts, combining for four shots on goal.

In goal for the Gophers, Parkhill made two saves in to improve to 4-1-0 on the year. The sophomore hasn't allowed a goal in her last two appearances. Henry made six saves on eight shots against for the Gauchos.

Minnesota returns to action this Sunday with a Minnesota Gold Classic finale against No. 14 San Diego at 1 p.m. (CST).

NOTE: Despite being outshot 29-7, San Diego pulled out a 1-0 overtime win over Marquette on Friday evening to start the Miinnesota Gold Classic. Brittany Held snuck her second goal of the season into the goal in the 99th minute of play to keep San Diego unbeaten at 4-0-0. Courtney Parsons made 12 saves to record the shutout.