Stephen F. Austin
6-10-0, 3-6-0
Abilene Christian
10-4-2, 6-2-1
Talbot Tallies NCAA DI-Best 18 Saves in Double-OT Duel at ACU
10/25/2019 10:08:00 PM | Women's Soccer
SFA netminder finishes with second-most saves in a game in program history
ABILENE, Texas - Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Madeline Talbot put on one of the finest goalkeeping performances in all of NCAA Division I soccer Friday night at Elmer Gray Stadium by making a career-best 18 saves, but in the end Abilene Christian scored the game's lone goal in the second overtime session to walk away with a 1-0 Southland Conference win.
Not only were Talbot's 18 saves the most by an SFA netminder this season, they were the most in a single game by any NCAA Division I goalie in 2019 thus far. a
FIRST HALF
• Talbot's tremendous performance between the pipes started in the first half as the redshirt sophomore survived everything the Wildcats were able to throw at her.
• Time and time again Talbot was tested by Abilene Christian but each and every time SFA's backstop answered the call. She turned aside all of the Wildcats' 12 shots on goal through the frame as the hosts outshot SFA 17-4 through the opening 45 minutes of play.
• SFA's first shot on goal came in the 37th minute when Sophia Fondren drilled a free kick to Abilene Christian keeper Rachel Johnson. Fondren's try was one of two shots on goal for SFA in the frame.
SECOND HALF
• Following a halftime strategy session that saw them retool their defense, the Ladyjacks made sure Talbot didn't have to work quite as much in the second half. Coming out firing, SFA tested Johnson early in the half as Katelyn Termini pumped a pair of shots the way of ACU's goalkeeper in the first 100 seconds of the half.
• In all, SFA managed six shots on frame through the half while holding Abilene Christian to just four on-target tries.
FIRST OVERTIME
• Talbot tallied two more saves through the first overtime frame as the Ladyjacks were outshot 4-1. Peyton Graves registered SFA's lone shot attempt of the first extra session.
SECOND OVERTIME
• The only shot of the final overtime session produced the game's lone goal. Abilene Christian's 12th and final corner kick of the match saw Christina Arteaga send a long set-up ball to the far side of the Ladyjacks' goal and Shay Johnson took to the sky and headed it past a diving Talbot to push the Wildcats to the win.
KEY PERFORMERS/STATISTICS OF NOTE
• Despite holding a marked advantage in shots (36-12) it took everything the Wildcats had in their arsenal to solve Talbot.
• Artega finished with 13 of the Wildcats' shots and put six of them on frame. Termini, meanwhile, accounted for four of the Ladyjacks' 12 shots and forced Johnson to save three of them.
• Talbot's 18 saves are the second-most in a single game in program history. Only Natascia Michalezki's 24 against UTEP in a 3-2 SFA win on Sept. 12, 2003, bettered Talbot's total Friday night.
CRITTENDEN'S COMMENTS
SFA head coach Wally Crittenden on Friday night's match | "What a battle tonight. Our tactics were executed at a very high level and our intent and energy were really good. I am so proud of this team and there is only one thing I can ask of them right now: do it again on Sunday. Nothing more is required and our identity is very strong following tonight."
COMING UP NEXT
• A four-hour road trip awaits the Ladyjacks who head south to the Alamo City for a Sunday afternoon showdown rife with Southland Conference Tournament implications. SFA and Incarnate Word are set to duke it out at 1:00 p.m. from Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium with the Ladyjacks looking for a victory to lock up their spot in the league's 2019 tournament.
-SFA-
Team Stats
Shay Johnson (1)
Assisted By: Christina Arteaga
GOAL by ACU Johnson, Shay Assist by Arteaga, Christina.
104:57
