CSUN Top 10 - Cynthia and Madeleine Sanchez Break CSUN Scoring Records

Beginning June 25 and running through July 30, CSUN will present its top-10 sports moments from the 2017-18 season.

Today's moment, No. 6, features Cynthia Sanchez of women's soccer and Madeleine Sanchez of women's water polo breaking the CSUN scoring records for their respective sports this season.

The CSUN scoring records in women's soccer and women's water polo would be broken in 2017-18 with a common name claiming the all-time top spots. Both in their final seasons at CSUN, Cynthia Sanchez became the all-time career scoring leader in soccer last fall while her namesake Madeleine Sanchez topped CSUN's water polo list this past spring.

For Cynthia, breaking the Matadors' goal record could not have come under better circumstances. Facing UC Riverside in a Big West Tournament semifinal game at Matador Soccer Field (Nov. 2), Sanchez needed just one goal to match Farryn Townley's top mark of 22 career goals. In the match, she would not only tie the mark but set a new one as she led CSUN to victory.

After CSUN and UC Riverside battled to a scoreless first half, Sanchez put the Matadors on the scoreboard in the 57th minute, scoring off a throw-in from Destinney Duron. Sanchez would again strike in the 85th minute, this time finishing off a run down the right side of the box to notch her record-breaking 23rd career goal.

Her game winner against the Highlanders was her 13th of her career while her brace was her fourth. Sanchez finished with six goals and 13 points in 2018 en route to earning All-Big West Second Team honors. Going down as one of the top forwards in CSUN history, Sanchez also concluded her career as the Matadors' all-time leader in points (52), shots (183) and matches played (80).

After Cynthia broke new ground on the pitch, Madeleine rose to the top in the pool. Coming into the 2018 season, Madeleine needed to score 48 goals to become the Matadors' all-time record holder but breaking Allison Brookes' record of 222 goals would not be easy.

Hampered with injuries, Sanchez would only see action in the pool during games in the final weeks of the season. Despite the obstacles in front of her, she would find herself in position to reach the record by the final weekend of the regular season. After scoring her 221st goal at UC Santa Barbara on April 7, Sanchez came into her final two home matches looking to make history in front of her home crowd.

Facing two of the top teams in the nation in UC Davis and Hawai'i, Sanchez re-wrote the CSUN and Big West record books with a pair of outstanding performances. Sanchez netted two goals against the Aggies (April 14), first scoring on a power play then on a penalty shot to surpass Brookes in the CSUN record books. A day later, in her final home match of her career, Sanchez made even more history, this time against Hawai'i as she scored three times to become the Big West's all-time career scoring leader.

Sanchez would finish with 54 goals on the season, pushing her career total to 229. She leaves CSUN first in career field goal attempts (560), third in steals (242), fifth in assists (148) and sixth in field goal percentage (.409). Following this season, Sanchez earned an ACWPC All-America Honorable Mention nod for the second-straight season along with an All-Big West First Team award further cementing herself as one of best in CSUN history.

NEXT - No. 5 CSUN Sports Moment - Friday, July 13

CSUN Top 10 - Cynthia and Madeleine Sanchez Break CSUN Scoring Records

Players Mentioned

Destinney Duron

Cynthia Sanchez

Madeleine Sanchez

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