NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The Drury girls soccer team wanted to play a full 80 minutes.

 

It took control of the game in the first five.

 

Kayla McGrath scored the first of her three goals less than five minutes into the match as the Blue Devils earned their first win of the season, topping Taconic, 5-1, on Friday on John J. DelNegro Field.

 

“We spent some time talking about our intensity and focus and what we could be doing in practice to try to bring some of that gamelike intensity,” Drury coach Maria Bartini said. “We worked on a few things and really implemented it today, beautifully.

 

“Our focus and mentality was really what I’ve been wanting to see every single game, and they brought it for the full 80 minutes.”

 

Elli Miles set up McGrath for the game’s first goal after receiving a centering pass from Caroline Cellana on the left wing. Miles found McGrath at the top of the 18, and she turned and fired a shot past a diving Leeyia Hoose (14 saves).

 

Seven minutes later, Jacqueline Moulton made a run up the right wing and centered the ball to McGrath, who finished to make it 2-0.

 

Taconic (1-9) rallied, getting a goal from Kendra Buda in the 26th minute to cut Drury’s lead in half.

 

But Miles scored late in the half on a through ball from McGrath to send the Blue Devils into the break up, 3-1.

 

It was the second time in two games the Blue Devils found themselves leading a Berkshire County South Division opponent at intermission on their home field.

 

This time, instead of giving back the lead and settling for a tie, Drury came out firing.

 

McGrath added an insurance goal in the 45th minute to complete her hat trick.

 

Miles scored her second with an assist from Moulton midway through the half to cap the scoring.

 

Drury easily could have had more goals. It hit the crossbar on one second half try, and Hoose came off her line a couple of times to help shut down scoring chances.

 

“Leeyia did make some nice saves in the game, too,” Bartini said. “She played a strong game and was really doing a lot to keep us out of the net.”

 

Mackenzie Dobbert made three saves for Drury (1-8-1), which goes to Cheshire Wednesday for a rematch against Hoosac Valley, which won the first meeting, 3-1.

 

Taconic hosts Lee on Tuesday.