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EDINBURG, Texas – Junior midfielder Allison Abendschein gave HBU a 1-0 lead, but Southern Utah tied the match just over a minute later and scored the eventual game winner in the second half in a 2-1 Thunderbird victory Saturday afternoon on the opening day of the UT Rio Grande Valley Invitational.

Abendschein and Elizabeth Adams each registered points for HBU (2-2-0). Abendschein led all players with three shots and three shots on goal. Ellee Hall had a pair of shots with one hitting the target. Alanis Guevara tied her career high with four saves in the losing effort in goal. There was one team save.

Both Devri Hartle and Jahna Tacson scored for SUU (4-3-0), as they each had two shots and a team-high two shots on goal. Kaitlyn Caldera made four saves, with one team save, as she earned the win.

After a second-consecutive corner kick in the 29th minute, HBU got on the board, as Adams sent the ball in and Abendschein headed it into the back of the net for a 1-0 Huskies lead. Just over a minute later, the Thunderbirds struck even, as Paige Robins passed to Logan Harker, whose shot was originally stopped by Guevara, but Tacson scooped up the rebound.

The teams entered halftime knotted at one-all and HBU holding a 5-3 lead in shots and a 3-1 advantage in corner kicks.

Nine minutes into the second half, SUU took a 2-1 lead, as Kelsee Bone scooped up a loose ball in the Huskies' zone and passed it to Hartle for the score.

The Thunderbirds had a chance for a two-goal advantage 18 minutes later, as Abbie Flandro's shot was stopped by a Huskies' player for a team save, the ball went to Haley Adams whose shot was blocked for an SUU corner kick. Adams' shot attempt on the ensuing free kick sailed high as the score remained 2-1.

Less than 10 minutes remaining in regulation, HBU had a chance to tie the match, as Jessa LeBlanc's shot attempt sailed high. Seconds later, Abendschein nearly had her second goal of the match but a Thunderbird player stopped the ball for a team save. The ball went to Blake Martin, whose shot went over the cross bar.

SUU outshot the Huskies, 7-4, in the second half and 10-9 for the match. HBU had a 3-2 advantage in corner kicks in the second half and had six of the ten corners for the match.

HBU concludes the tournament against host UT Rio Grande Valley Sunday at 11 am.