Ladyjacks Power Past Colonels In Final Home Game, 3-0

Sunday, October 15

Nacogdoches, Texas

1:00 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

9-6-0 (6-2-0SLC)

Nicholls

5-9-1 (2-5-1SLC)

NICHOLLS

SFA

Ladyjacks Power Past Colonels In Final Home Game, 3-0

10/15/2017 5:32:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Both teams accrued 10 shots in the contest

By: Kevin Meyer | Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

Photo Gallery

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin women's soccer team earned its third win in a row in strong fashion on Sunday afternoon, taking care of Nicholls by a 3-0 score in the final home game of the season. After scoring three goals as a team for the first time this season in Friday's win over Southeastern Louisiana, the offense was there for SFA to the tune of three goals once again.

The win improves SFA to 9-6 overall and 6-2 in Southland play, and keeps them locked in third place in the Southland Conference standings.

"There was some good soccer on display today, some good ideas on the attack and we measured out well in terms of energy, competitive spirit, preparation and schemes", said SFA head coach Wally Crittenden. "There was a 20-25 minute period in the second half where I kind of felt like we got away from some of the things that put us into a good position in the first half, so I would've liked to see us do better in that area, but I felt our overall organization and team performance was good."

SFA dominated possession from the onset in Sunday's game, and were hindered only by uncharacteristically sloppy connections in the final third of the field, limiting the total number of shots that SFA would have in the game. It wasn't until the 12^th minute that SFA would get their first shot of the game, as Hanna Barker had a brief window and fired off a shot with her right foot which carried wide of the frame.

Shortly afterwards, a foul on Nicholls in the 15^th minute gave the Ladyjacks a free kick about 14 yards into the Nicholls half of the field. Midfielder Mari Gillespie put a good jolt into the ball intending to put the service into the box for her teammates to finish off. Instead, the ball carried in the wind and floated on Colonels goalkeeper Roosa Hurmerinta, who was able to get her hands on the ball but not much else, as it carried behind her into the goal to give SFA the lead on an unlikely first goal.

After a big of back and forth, the Ladyjacks struck again in short order, as Breanna Moore penetrated down to the right baseline and floated a cross into the goal box, where a charging Katelyn Termini intercepted the pass and volleyed it past Hurmerinta in air to give SFA a 2-0 lead in the game. It was the freshman's fourth goal of the season, and Moore's second assist of the campaign.

In the 31^st minute, a corner kick from senior Madison Hall curved inwards dramatically inside the ball, nearly leading to another Ladyjack goal, but was caught by Hurmerinta instead. An attempt by freshman Sabrina Segovia in the 37^th minute also came up short, as she got a good look at goal but wasn't able to get enough on the shot to put it past the goalkeeper, and SFA was content to take a 2-0 lead into the halftime break, having scored two goals on just six total shots.

"The first half was good, we did a lot of effective things, and I felt really good the attacking play, the patience and how we grew into the game", Crittenden said. "The big things for us today was our in-game learning, making sure that we knew what they were trying to do and making the adjustments on what would help us to win the game."

In the second half, the Colonels created a few chances of their own, but nearly all were from distance and did not challenge Allyson Smith to a strong degree. Smith would finish with six saves on the day and earn her fourth clean sheet of the season.

SFA, meanwhile, continued to dominate possession and create scoring chances. In the 58^th minute, Moore fired off a low shot at goal that was knocked away by the keeper and led to a corner kick for SFA. In the 70^th minute, Katie Jennings sprinted down the right side of the field with the ball and was able to fire a shot off from 15 yards away, but the shot sailed up and over the goal. Finally, the 'Jacks found the net for the third and final time in the 84^th minute. Gillespie cleared a ball out of the SFA final third, and the ball was corralled in the middle of the field by freshman Destiney Davis, who dribbled the ball 15 yards up the field before dishing the ball off to Michaela Mencacci, who found Segovia in space on the left side moments later. Segovia took several dribbles down the left side and fired off a low shot on a tough angle which traveled to the far side of goal, bouncing off the post and into the net for the 'Jacks third goal.

The 'Jacks will now close out the 2017 regular season on the road with trips to Incarnate Word and Abilene Christian next weekend, and a trip to rival Sam Houston State on the 27^th.

-SFA-