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HOUSTON – Four different players scored and the HBU defense shut down Nicholls for the 4-0 shutout victory in Southland Conference women's soccer action on Friday evening at Sorrels Field.
The first half belonged to HBU (4-4-1, 3-1-0 SLC) by the numbers but the Huskies found themselves tied with Nicholls (4-7-0, 1-3-0 SLC) at halftime.
Gabby Rodriguez had a close look at the six minute mark but Taylor Benoit made the save. Nicholls' only look at the goal came in the 13
th minute when Kristy Helmers fired a shot on target, but was stonewalled by HBU's
Alanis Guevara. HBU had three more shots on goal in the half but failed to find the net while holding an 11-3 advantage in shots in the half.
The Huskies came out clicking offensively in the second period with sophomore
Whitney Johnson let fly from more than 20 yards out near the right corner of the 18-yard box and curled the game-winner inside the left post for a 1-0 lead in the 48
th minute. It took less than six minutes for Rodriguez to tap the second goal into an open net off a deflected save on a
Sabriah Spencer shot.
Leading 2-0, HBU kept up the pressure while limiting the Colonels to just one shot in the second half. In the 84
th minute, freshman
Noor Abukishk slipped behind the defense on a through ball from
Avery Cortez, made one touch and beat Benoit to the left side of the goal for her first collegiate goal. The Huskies' fourth goal came in the final minute when a through ball off the foot of
Charlotte Vancura found
Ellee Hall streaking toward the goal, beating the keeper in a one-on-one situation for her sixth goal of the season.
It was the third-straight shutout for the Huskies who are now in a five-way tie for first place in the Southland with nine points. Hall kept herself at the top of the league in goals scored, now tied with Northwestern State's Brittany Caserma for the conference lead.
Sabriah Spencer picked up a pair of assists in the win while Rodriguez's goal was her third of the year. Guevara, who came into the match eighth in the nation with 8.00 assists per match, earned the win between the pipes with one save.
The Huskies held Nicholls to just four shots, keeping the Colonels at bay near midfield for much of the match.
"We came out a little flat in the first half," stated head coach
Misty Jones. "We created some good chances, but we didn't put the ball away, which made us battle for 45. We talked at halftime and told them we needed to come out in the first 10 and score a goal, and we did. The ball movement was fantastic. We created tons of chances and the execution was very good, to get four goals from four people. I was very proud of the way they responded."
HBU remains at home for its next match against Southeastern Louisiana, who played to a 0-0 draw at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Friday night, on Sunday afternoon at Sorrels Field with kickoff set for 1:00 p.m.
