Pair of Second Half Goals Lift Ladyjacks Past Roadrunners on Road, 2-1

Thursday, August 24

San Antonio, TX

7:00 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

1-2

UTSA

1-2

SFA

UTSA

Pair of Second Half Goals Lift Ladyjacks Past Roadrunners on Road, 2-1

8/24/2017 11:23:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

SFA's Barker, Termini net second-half goals

By: Kevin Meyer | Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin women's soccer team rallied from a one-goal halftime deficit to defeat UTSA 2-1 and earn the squad's first win of the 2017 campaign on Thursday. A pair of goals by the Ladyjack's capped off a resurgent effort in the second half, as the team responded in a big way to fend off a physical UTSA squad.

The lead up to the game was anything but normal for SFA, as they left Nacogdoches with the mindset that the game would be played on Friday, and not Thursday. After expected inclement weather prompted a rescheduling of the game, the team had a matter of hours to prepare for a road game at night, instead of the normal allotted time. For the 'Jacks, the challenge was to rise to the occasion of a game day after spending the day on a bus instead of resting.

"Wins like this are what is required when you play good teams on the road", said SFA head coach Wally Crittenden. "That's a piece that, frankly, we had been needing to develop. There's a fighter mentality, an air of desperation that you need to have in both your penalty box and the other team's penalty box in order to secure the game on way or the other, and without question we grew into that over the course of this game."

From the onset, the game was every bit the physical affair that SFA head coach Wally Crittenden predicted, with UTSA receiving a yellow card just six minutes into the game.

SFA created a handful of dangerous moments on offense early in the game, as Hanna Barker's cross into the box in the ninth minute just missed a connection with freshman Katelyn Termini. Minutes later, Termini dribbled through two UTSA defenders on her way to the goal, before being stopped by a final defender.

"We responded well to the physicality of the game, and I don't think there was a moment where it was overwhelming, but when you play a team that is as fast and physical as UTSA, you have to keep the ball, because if you don't they have a lot of opportunities to put it on ya", said Crittenden. "We've started the season off against three really good teams, and we've had chances to win all three of those games, and were able to close this one out tonight and see that through."

On the other end, left back Carli Arthurs made a crucial save on the goal line, denying a UTSA attempt after goalkeeper Allyson Smith's save on the initial attempt bounced back to an opposing player. Smith made another save in the 38^th minute, as a failed clear attempt by the SFA defense found it's way to a Roadrunner, who took a touch on the ball before firing a low shot from six yards out, which was blocked by a charging Smith.

UTSA would open the scoring in the 39^th minute, as UTSA reserve Channing Machen corralled a loose ball outside of the 18-yard box, took a dribble to her right and took a shot that floated towards the far side of the SFA goal and over the outstretched hands of Smith for the game's first goal. Shortly thereafter, UTSA nearly doubled the lead on a look from 16 yards out in the 43^rd minute, but the ball sailed over the crossbar to leave the halftime deficit at just one goal.

The halftime break served as a great opportunity for the Ladyjacks to with a team meeting and message from Crittenden. A renewed emphasis on the attack bore immediate fruit in the 47^th minute, as Madison Hall dished the ball off to Barker, who chipped UTSA's Gabriella Mariello, who had entered the game at halftime as a goalkeeper substitution. Barker's equalizer was her first goal of the season, and set the tone for the second half.

"I think it's less about a halftime speech and more about addressing some things, some core psychological pillars that are going to help them win games", Crittenden said. "If you give up a goal like we did in the first half, then you've got to come back and respond, and they did, and that's a credit to them."

SFA continued to press the attack after tying the game, creating scoring chances in the 53^rd and 59^th minute of play. Not to be outdone, UTSA nearly took the lead back in the 63^rd minute of play, as a shot from five yards out got past freshman goalkeeper Madeline Talbot, only to be denied by the goalpost.

In the 80^th minute of play, Barker made another excellent play, penetrating down the left side of the opponents final third, before dishing off a perfect cross to a charging Termini, who one-touched the ball smartly into the net to give the Ladyjacks the lead. The golden goal by Termini was her second goal of the season, and her first game-winner as a Ladyjack. Barker nearly tallied a second goal in the 84^th minute of play, but was called offside on the play and the goal was waved off.

"We had two really good goals tonight. Barker's tremendous finish off the volley was hit very well, and then she executed a very quick, decisive pass to Termini to set up that goal. Those are great moments, and ultimately they wouldn't have been in that position had they not trained to compete physically and grind it out, especially on the road."

Thursday's win against UTSA came in a similar fashion to the team's 3-2 win over the Roadrunners in 2016, where the 'Jacks came into the matchup winless, as they did Thursday, and came away with a hard-fought win, yet again. That victory last season sparked a seven-game winning streak by the 'Jacks, while Thursday's victory was a much-need road win for a team that had seen two winnable contests slip away last weekend.

"Moving forward, it's less about my confidence, because my confidence in them and their ceiling has not changed", explained Crittenden. "The big thing with a win like this is they're rewarded for their hard work, discipline and commitment, so whenever you can do that AND get the result you want to get, it helps the lesson to get through a lot smoother, rather than doing good things but coming up short. That being said, we always want to win the game, and getting this one tonight gives us a little extra spring in our step."

Having battled through three straight road matches to open the season, the 'Jacks can now focus on the upcoming weekend's home opener against Texas Southern on September 1, and a quick turnaround to host Texas State on Sunday, September 3.

-SFA-