Stephen F. Austin
Texas-San Antonio
Big Second Half Carries UTSA To Win
10/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 17, 2008
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Entering Friday's game, the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks had lost just one Southland Conference match since moving to the SFA Soccer Complex for the 2003 season. The one defeat came at the hands of UTSA in 2006. Following Friday's game, the Roadrunners are still the only SLC team to have won in Nacogdoches in the last six years, but they have now done so twice in that time span.
UTSA scored three second-half goals Friday to erase a 1-0 first-period deficit and end a 10-game home winning streak for SFA that dated to the 2007 season. With the loss, SFA moves to 6-6-0 on the season and 3-1-0 in Southland play. The Roadrunners improve to 6-9-0 overall and 3-2-0 against league competition.
SFA took an early lead in the ninth minute on Amanda Alders' second goal of the season. Freshman Katie O'Briant played a nice ball ahead through the box to Alders. The UTSA goalkeeper had come out to defend on a long ball from midfield and was caught out of position as Alders ripped a shot toward the far post and into the net.
The Ladyjacks held their 1-0 lead through the remainder of the period, despite a 14-7 advantage in shots for UTSA. The Roadrunners created several solid scoring opportunities for themselves in the opening frame, but SFA sophomore 'keeper Courtney Bauder protected her team's lead with five first-half saves.
UTSA didn't wait long to find the net in the second period. The Roadrunners tied the game in the first minute of action, when Erin Mackay scored from the right wing. Celeste Carruth sent a pass from the top of the 18-yard box through a jumble of defenders to find Mackay open from about 10 yards out.
UTSA took the lead at the 68:19 mark, this time with Kasi Hebert doing the honors off an assist by Taylor Padia.
Padia would assist on the Roadrunners' final goal as well, when she took a cross from Kim Gonzales, then flicked the ball back across the box to Gonzales, who leaped and headed a strong shot past Bauder and into the net at the 71:56 mark.
The three scoring strikes were the only shots on goal recorded by the Roadrunners in the second period. SFA, meanwhile, fired six of its 10 shots on goal after halftime, including a pair of near-misses by Alders late in the match, but all to no avail.
Alders' first opportunity came in the 76th minute when she got her head on a bouncing ball in the box, but UTSA goalkeeper Nicoline Joergensen was there for the save. Seven minutes later, O'Briant served a high corner kick to the near side of the 18-yard box. Junior Megan Cash played the ball off her head across the box, where a leaping Alders headed a strong shot off the cross bar.
Bauder moves to 6-5-0 on the season with the defeat, her first since 2-1 loss at Nebraska on Sept. 21.
For the game, UTSA enjoyed a 20-18 advantage in shots, but SFA held a 10-8 edge in shots on goal. Each team earned four corner kick opportunities, with all four of the Ladyjacks' chances coming in the second half.
SFA will return to action Sunday, when the Ladyjacks host Texas State in a 1 p.m. game.
-- SFA --
