HOUSTON – A defensive stalemate for more than 88 minutes was broken by visiting UT Rio Grande Valley on Thursday evening with the Vaqueros getting an 89
th minute goal to defeat HCU at Sorrels Field, 1-0, in Southland Conference play.
The first dangerous look of the match went to the Vaqueros (4-7-1, 1-3-0 SLC) when a perfectly placed through ball was run down by Lisa Elowsson behind a pair of HCU (6-6-1, 1-2-1 SLC) defenders but goalkeeper
Emmy McKeon cut off the angle and made a save on the shot in the 10
th minute. Both HCU attempts on goal in the first half came from distance and were easily collected by Emilia Compian. McKeon made three more saves in the half, including deflecting a blistering shot off the foot of Savannah Frisby with one minute to go in the half.
Early in the second half,
Cloe Baugh played a ball forward with
Paisley Barela slipping behind the defenders and taking the ball into the 18-yard box and taking a shot one-on-one with the keeper that appeared to be heading toward the bottom left corner and get deflected away while the official called for a goal kick off the miss.
With a little over 17 minutes remaining, UTRGV earned a free kick from midfield that was taken by Compian. Her kick into the box bounced once and cleared over the head of McKeon into the net without being touched by a player from either team. The resulting call was a goal kick to the Huskies, however, since it was an indirect free kick due to the offside call vs. direct free kicks given for most fouls which allow a player the opportunity to score directly off the initial kick.
In the 14
th minute,
Brynn Dunbar put a look on goal off a
Bella Alamo corner kick but a UTRGV defender was there to keep it from crossing into the goal. UTRGV's breakthrough came after the Huskies lost possession in their defensive third, allowing the Vaqueros to get a ball crossed into the box where Savannah Frisby had a look from near the penalty spot. McKeon made the stop but was unable come up with possession of the ball and Isabella Burtini was there for a try on the rebound from close range. McKeon stopped the initial shot by Burtini but the rebound off McKeon went right into Burtini's chest and into the goal in the 89
th minute.
McKeon finished the night with six saves while Compian had three for the Vaqueros. Dunbar led HCU with two shots on goal. As a team, HCU finished with 13 shot attempts and four shots on goal. The Huskies were called offsides seven times in the match.
HCU will travel to Thibodaux, La. for its next match on Thursday, Oct. 9, to take on the Nicholls Colonels at 6:00 p.m.
