Stephen F. Austin
Northwestern State
Ladyjacks Blank Demons
10/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 21, 2007
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack soccer team recorded its second consecutive shutout Sunday, knocking off Northwestern State, 3-0, at the SFA Soccer Complex. The victory comes on the heels of Friday's 4-0 verdict against Central Arkansas and marks the Ladyjacks' third shutout in four games.
Sunday's win, coupled with Southeastern Louisiana's 1-0 victory over McNeese State, leaves the Ladyjacks alone atop the Southland Conference standings with a 4-0-1 mark in league action. SFA (8-3-2) is the only undefeated team in the SLC.
The Ladyjacks dominated the action against Northwestern State (10-5-1, 3-2-1). SFA outshot the Demons, 28-3, and did not allow a single shot on goal. The Ladyjacks took their defensive play to another level in the second half, as they held Northwestern without a shot after the break. Meanwhile, SFA found plenty of life at the offensive end.
The Ladyjacks took a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute on a goal by leading scorer Erika Palmacci. The sophomore midfielder headed home a stellar pass from classmate Kelli Wilson to put SFA in front. Wilson started the sequence when she served a high free kick from 40 yards out over a line of defenders and into open space to the left of the goal. Palmacci outran the defensive shift and finished the attack with her seventh goal of the year. The assist was Wilson's fourth this season.
The Ladyjacks took their one-goal edge to halftime, then found the net again in the 67th minute. This time it was Palmacci setting up Wilson with a crisp pass across the box from the far right corner. Wilson settled the ball and beat Northwestern goalkeeper Johnna Klohoker with a high shot into the back right corner for her sixth goal of the year.
SFA capped off the scoring in the 74th minute, when freshman forward Kesia Broome found the goal from a flat angle near the end line to the right of the goal. Junior midfielder Amanda Lackey connected with Broome on a long pass from middle third of the field to set the play up. The goal was Broome's second of the season.
The Ladyjacks have now recorded shutout wins against the Demons in each of their last three meetings. Sunday's victory also marked the first time for an SFA team to post back-to-back shutouts since the Ladyjacks finished the 2005 regular season with four straight shutouts.
SFA will return to action next weekend, when the Ladyjacks hit the road for a Friday game at McNeese State and a Sunday date at Lamar.
-- SFA --
