Stephen F. Austin
Sam Houston State
Ladyjacks Top Sam Houston
10/5/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 5, 2007
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - As the skies went Friday night at the SFA Soccer Complex, so went the offense. The rain that had been threatening all day finally came early in the second half, and so did the goals, as the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks knocked off Sam Houston State, 2-1, in the Southland Conference opener for both teams.
Sophomore forwards Brenna Crockett and Erika Palmacci did the honors for SFA, with Crockett breaking a scoreless tie in the 50th minute and Palmacci notching what would prove to be the game-winner in the 64th minute. With the win, the Ladyjacks move their record to 5-3-1 overall and 1-0-0 in SLC action.
Like the clouds hanging overhead, SFA loomed in the Sam Houston backfield for much of the first half. The Ladyjacks outshot Sam Houston, 8-2, in the opening period and recorded four shots on goal with three corner kicks, but failed to find the net, as the two teams went to halftime scoreless.
SFA was hot out of the break, though. Crockett knocked home her goal barely four minutes into the start of the second half, just before the rain picked up. She took a pass from the far left corner and found space for a shot from point blank range. The ball was deflected with a diving stop from Sam Houston goalkeeper Jenny Pence, but Crockett gathered the rebound and drove home her second goal of the season to get SFA on the board.
Fourteen minutes later, with the rain storm in full force, Palmacci finished off a nice two-pass combo to give SFA all the scoring it would need. Junior midfielder Amanda Lackey sent a crisp pass from near midfield down to classmate Lauren Fricks in the right corner. Fricks crossed the ball to Palmacci, who fired a shot past Pence for her team-leading fifth goal of the year.
The Bearkats' Monica Madden added a goal in the 69th minute, but Sam Houston couldn't muster enough offensive punch to tie the score. For the game, SFA outshot the Bearkats, 33-6, with 19 shots on goal and nine corner kicks. SFA goalkeeper Crystin Pactor played all 90 minutes and recorded three saves.
The Ladyjacks will be back in action next Friday, when they take on Texas-San Antonio in a road contest. The game is set for a 7 p.m. start.
-- SFA --
