Stephen F. Austin
Houston
SFA Knocks Off Cougars
9/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 10, 2010
HOUSTON, Texas - After playing the first two seasons of her collegiate career without registering a goal, Jordan King has now scored three times in the last two games. More importantly, though, Friday she recorded the second game-winning goal of her career, as her second-half strike proved to be enough for Stephen F. Austin to knock off a tough Houston team on the road, 1-0.
The victory is SFA's first road win of the season and the Ladyjacks' first-ever win over the Cougars in Houston. SFA moves to 4-3-0 on the year, while Houston falls to 3-2-1.
"We knew today would be a tough challenge," SFA head coach Tony Amato said. "Our objective coming in was to get a shutout and a win on the road. The team found a way to accomplish that against a good Houston team."
Scoring chances were at a premium in the opening period as the two teams combined for just three shots through the first 45 minutes of action, with a Houston shot on goal standing as the only attack on target.
But King got SFA on the board early in the second half. Just two minutes into the period, a Houston foul set her up with a free kick from 25 yards out. She fired a high shot toward the net, and Cougar goalkeeper Camille Koski was unable to punch the ball over the crossbar as it bounced in for King's third career goal.
The scoring strike was the first shot attempt of what proved to be a much more active second period. It was one of six SFA attempts after the break and sent Houston scurrying to create some offense. The Cougars rang up 14 shots in the second period -- a single-half high this season for SFA opponents.
Seven of those second-half attempts were on target, but SFA 'keeper Courtney Bauder (3-2-1) was on her game, putting up a season-best eight saves in the contest to collect her first shutout of the season. The eight stops mark the third-highest single-game total in Bauder's four-year career.
Bauder had a strong back line playing in front of her. Kelli Barnes, Jordyn Young and Edwina Forbes joined King in the Ladyjack backfield. King logged 73 minutes in the contest, while the other three played all 90.
King's free kick was the only shot she attempted on the game. Laura Sadler took aim twice, as did Kylie Louw and Brenda Salazar. Salazar also posted a shot on goal. Houston finished with a 16-7 advantage in shots, marking the second time this season for SFA to win a game in which its opponent finished with the edge in that category.
Houston was coming off an impressive four-game road trip that saw the Cougars go 2-1-1. The tie was a 2-2 dead heat at TCU, and the loss was a close 1-0 affair against Central Region Top 10 program Baylor. Houston had allowed just three goals coming into Friday's game, and its only shutout had come at the hands of Baylor.
For the Ladyjacks, Friday's win comes on the heels of a 3-1 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette last Sunday, giving SFA back-to-back wins for the first time this season. King scored two penalty kick goals in that contest.
The Ladyjacks will try to make it three in a row Sunday afternoon, when they take on Houston Baptist. The game against the Huskies is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.
-- SFA --
