SOCCER: Oct. 2 Scoreboard
Sam Houston State 2, McNeese 1 (2OT)
Houston Baptist 1, Southeastern Louisiana 0 (OT)
Nicholls 2, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 1
Stephen F. Austin 1, Lamar 0
Abilene Christian 2, Northwestern State 0
Central Arkansas 2, UIW 0
Sam Houston State 2, McNeese 1 (2OT)
LAKE CHARLES, La. -- Sam Houston State’s Madison Cannon provided the golden goal with four minutes remaining in the second overtime, helping the Bearkats best McNeese State, 2-1 on Friday night in Lake Charles, giving the squad its fourth victory in five matches.
For just over 70 minutes, the squads sat deadlocked, thanks to strong performances from each goalkeeper in fending off an eventual combined 39 shots. Then, in the 73rd minute, Allie Johnson notched her third goal of the season, assisted by Cannon, to put the Kats up 1-0.
With the win in their grasps and 26 seconds remaining, McNeese (4-6, 1-3 Southland) struck even on a breakaway goal from Sarah Ortiz, eventually sending the match to overtime.
In the first 10 minute frame, both defense clamped down, and neither squad recorded a shot. In the second, the Kats (6-4-1, 3-1 SLC) and Cowgirls took a combined six shots, including four from Sam Houston, with Cannon’s second goal of the season moving the Kats to 4-1 on the road.
The Bearkats recorded a season-high 13 shots on goal and scored a pair of goals for the third time this season. Senior goalkeeper Kylie Hambleton’s seven saves were second most for the Kats and marked the eighth time in 11 games Sam Houston has allowed one goal or less.
Lindsey Bienski, Mariah Titus and Shelby McDaniel each logged three shots on goal while a total of nine Bearkats took shots, including McDaniel’s six. The Cowgirls took three corner kicks to the Kats one and had one more foul than Sam Houston at 11-10.
Sam Houston returns to action Sunday at Lamar. First kick from the LU Soccer Complex is slated for 1 p.m. between the Bearkats and Cardinals.
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Houston Baptist 1, Southeastern Louisiana 0 (OT)
HOUSTON, Texas – Freshman forward Sabriah Spencer’s header in the 95th minute sent the Huskies’ bench into delirium, as Houston Baptist knocked off the Southland Conference’s top team in Southeastern Louisiana, 1-0, in overtime Friday evening at Sorrels Field.
It was a total team effort for the Huskies, who held the Lady Lions’ potent offense – SLU was outscoring its opponents, 33-8, entering tonight’s contest.
Spencer had a match-high five shots, while she had two of the Huskies’ three shots on goal. The conference’s leading scorer, Gisenia Utreras, had a team-best four shots, but only one hit the target. Maggie Ramsey posted a team-best two shots on goal. Hope Sabadash took the loss in goal as she stopped two shots.
The best opportunity for either team in the first half came in the waning seconds, as the Lady Lions put a centering pass into the six-yard box. Amber Lasher one-timed it, but Guevara made a beautiful diving stop to keep the match scoreless.
SLU outshot the Huskies, 8-7, in the first half and had three of the half’s four corner kicks.
Each team had scoring chances in the second half. Spencer’s shot sailed high in the 77th minute, while Alessia Dal Monte’s header attempt also went over the cross bar in the 84th minute.
Utreras came close to ending the match three minutes into overtime as her shot went just wide. One minute later, the Huskies were awarded a corner kick. Elizabeth Adams sent a beautiful ball into the box and Spencer headed it in the back of the net.
Shots were even at 15-apiece in the match, while SLU held a 9-6 advantage in corner kicks.
HBU hosts Nicholls Sunday at 1 p.m. The Colonels defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 2-1, earlier tonight.
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Nicholls 2, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 1
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas
– The Nicholls State University women’s soccer team grabbed a 2-1 advantage in the first period and held off Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to secure the team’s first Southland Conference win of the 2015 season.
After 19 physical minutes of scoreless action, the Colonels (3-6-1, 1-3 SLC) drew first blood at the 19:51 mark. Hannah Savoie placed a perfectly pass to Lindsay Gardner, who fired a shot under a diving Megan Delaney.
Just ten minutes later, Spencer Valdespino found herself in a one-on-one opportunity with Delaney on a breakaway. Valdespino’s initial shot was blocked, but she immediately recovered the rebound and chipped her follow-up shot into the back of the net to put Nicholls ahead by two.
The Islanders (0-8-2, 0-3-1 SLC) cut the lead in half in the 42nd minute on a Hailey Sutton goal.
The Colonels took a 2-1 advantage into the break.
In the 60th minute, Nana Poulsen launched a free kick from right inside midfield that struck the crossbar, dead center. Nicholls was able to clear the ball before Texas A&M-Corpus Christi could follow up with a second shot.
Both teams made legitimate attacks over the final minutes, but neither would score, and the Colonels escaped with the victory.
Valdespino led Nicholls with three shots, all on goal. Anna Gourgues totaled three shots on goal off the bench and Mie Elvestad took three shots, with one on goal.
Poulsen finished with six shots, three on goal, and Sutton had four shots, three on goal, for the Islanders.
Boylson (2-5, 1-3 SLC) picked up her second win of the season, earning nine saves while allowing just one goal, in arguably her best match of the year.
Delaney took the loss, picking up seven saves, while surrendering two goals for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
The Colonels will head north to face an extremely talented Houston Baptist squad at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The Huskies (5-3-1, 3-1 SLC) are coming off of a stunning 1-0 overtime win over Southeastern La. to move into second place in the league.
Following this weekend’s action, Nicholls will return to Thibodaux and face off with McNeese State on Friday, Oct. 9 at 4 p.m.
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Stephen F. Austin 1, Lamar 0
BEAUMONT, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin women’s soccer team used a terrific goal by senior captain Rachel Owens midway through the first half and got stifling defense the rest of the way to beat Lamar University 1-0 on Friday night at the LU Soccer Complex. The Ladyjacks improve to 3-0-1 in Southland Conference play and 4-6-1 overall with the victory and are now in sole possession of first place in the league standings.
Owens sent a no-doubter just inside the left post to open the scoring in the 27th minute. Amanda Doyle started the attack down the right sideline, winning a 50/50 ball and cutting a low liner back across the field. The third runner into the box, Owens crushed a bullet on her first touch that knuckled into the lower left corner, safely out of reach of the LU keeper.
The goal, which proved to be the game-winner, is the second of the season for Owens and the 10th of her career. Doyle was credited with the assist – her second in 2015 – to up her SLC-best point total to 12 after four conference tilts.
SFA put stress on the Lamar backline throughout the first half, outshooting the Cardinals 15-1 over the first 45 minutes of action with a 7-0 advantage in shots on goal.
The second half was more even statistically as the pace of the game quickened. Even with an offensive-minded shift in shape by Lamar out of the halftime break, the Ladyjacks managed to hold on for their second shutout in league play. SFA limited LU to just one shot on goal in the entire game – one that was gobbled up with ease by redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Lillie Ehlert.
SFA finished with a 19-8 surplus in total shots and an 8-1 edge in shots on goal. Sophomore Hanna Barker led the ‘Jacks with six shots – five coming in the first frame. Doyle got two looks on target in three tries and Ashton Norman and Chantal Curry each registered two shots on the night. Overall, ten different Ladyjacks found their way onto the scoresheet in the shot column.
The Ladyjacks got big minutes from their bench on Friday night. Michaela Mencacci, Jasmine White and Crystal Calvit each tested the LU keeper by way of a shot on frame. Calvit nearly put away her first collegiate goal late in the first half on an absolute strike from 25 yards out that was punched over the crossbar.
Curry, Owens, Brooke Dunnigan, Julianna Echavarry, Kelly Ann Craig, Bailey Bosley and Chloe Fowler all contributed to the shutout in predominantly defensive roles throughout the contest, helping Ehlert claim her third shutout of the year.
SFA improves to 10-0-0 all-time against Lamar with Friday’s result and extends its unbeaten streak in conference to 26 games.
The Ladyjacks will look for their fourth straight victory when they travel to Lake Charles, Louisiana on Sunday afternoon for a match against McNeese State. Start time is set for 1 p.m.
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Abilene Christian 2, Northwestern State 0
ABILENE, Texas – Abilene Christian scored two first-half goals and received some quality clearances on defense afterward as the Wildcats held on to defeat Northwestern State for the third-consecutive season, 2-0, Friday night at Elmer Gray Stadium.
Freshman forward Dylan Owens capitalized on a turnover in the offensive third halfway through the fourth minute for the match's first goal, striking the ball over the head and outstretched arms of starting goalkeeper Brooke Burbonais for her second goal in three matches.
Thirty-eight minutes later, Megan Baer tapped a pass around a defender at midfield to Maria Gomez, who then found a wide-open Kate Seay up on her left. The substitute midfielder sprinted with the ball for a good 15 or 20 yards before beating backup goalkeeper Alex Latham one-on-one with a blast to her right.
The goal was Seay's second of the season and third of her career.
Burbonais left the match with about nine minutes left in the first half after colliding at the post with freshman midfielder Sophie Standifer.
ACU (3-7-2, 2-1-1 SLC) finished the match with 14 shots and five corners, four of which were taken in the second half. Senior Lindsey Jones nearly made it 3-0 game early in the second half, trying to leg whip a Natalie Throneberry corner kick from inside the six-yard box but Latham was there to make the save. Throneberry again was denied an assist in the 66th minute after one of the Lady Demon defenders cleared a Leslie Snider shot off the goalline.
The Wildcats also had a goal waved off during one of their six offside penalties.
Owens led all players with six shots, four of which were on net, while three of her teammates recorded two.
Northwestern State (3-7-2, 0-3-1 SLC) let some big offensive opportunities slip through their feet as well, missing wide on several open looks in the first half as the Lady Demons finished with a 7-5 advantage in shots. They continued to possess the ball for long stretches in the second half but could never create enough space inside the 18-yard box to fire a shot.
Goalkeeper Sydney Newton made six saves in earning her first and the team's second shutout of the season as it was the Wildcats first since playing to a scoreless draw earlier this season against UC Irvine. For Newton it was her third complete game shutout, matching her efforts from 2013 vs. Houston Baptist and 2014 vs. Wayland Baptist. She's also combined for five shutouts in her career with junior classmate Kelsey Dombrowski.
Bourbonais made two saves in 35:49 and Latham stopped five over the final 54:11.
The Wildcats complete their homestand Sunday at 1 p.m. vs. Central Arkansas. ACU and the Bears played to a 2-2 tie last season.
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Central Arkansas 2, UIW 0
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Central Arkansas women’s soccer team returned to action on Friday night, opening a two game road trip with a visit to UIW. The Bears got a pair of first half goals to take down the Cardinals 2-0.
The Bears (6-6, 3-1 SLC) opened the match’s scoring in the 32nd minute, when freshman Camille Bassett worked her way into the UIW box after gathering a pass from sophomore Alex Moore fired past keeper Karly Brightwell to give Central Arkansas a 1-0 lead with her sixth goal of the season.
Central Arkansas would add to its lead in the 37th minute, when freshman Autum Schwartz collected a deflected ball from sophomore Stacia Carroll in the box and put it away for her second goal of the season to push the UCA lead to 2-0.
The Bears had plenty of opportunities to extend the lead even further in the second half, taking five shots in the period, but were unable to find the net.
On the night, the Bears took 14 shots, placing nine on goal, led by Bassett, who was on target with four of her six attempts. Sophomore Dayna Mounie was on frame with both of her shots, while Schawartz, junior Shelby Wilson, and freshman Kelly McLaughlin each put one shot on goal.
In goal for Central Arkansas, freshman Lauren Mercuri made one save, earning her third straight win and collecting the first shutout of her career.
The Bears will wrap up the road trip on Sunday afternoon, taking on Abilene Christian at 1 p.m.
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