CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Sophomore Jasmine Diaz broke a 0-0 tie with just over a minute to play with a long-range strike to lift HCU to a 1-0 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in Southland Conference play on Sunday afternoon at Dugan Soccer stadium to clinch a spot in the SLC Tournament and remain firmly in the hunt for a regular season conference championship.
In the first half, Isabella Dillow had two shots on target while Diaz had another for the Huskies (8-3-6, 4-0-4 SLC) while Emmy McKeon was pressed into one save during the first 45 minutes. Emmie Barton put an attempt on goal midway through the second half for the Islanders (4-9-4, 1-6-2 SLC) but McKeon made the top. HCU put three more shots on the goal, including a pair from Madison Stormberg, but was unable to get that sought-after goal.
With less than 100 seconds remaining, the Huskies put together a few passes off a throw in from near midfield with Stormberg and Olivia Rossman directly setting up Diaz who sent a brilliant shot from 30 yards out to the top right corner over a diving Addie Brown who was fully extended trying to deflect the shot away.
The goal was Diaz's third of the season and her second game-winner of the year. For Rossman, the assist was her eighth of the season which moves her into first in the conference in the category and ties her for fourth-most single-season assists in program history. Stormberg now has two assists this season.
The win pushes the Huskies' school record unbeaten streak to 12 as HCU has not lost a match since August. HCU now stands on 16 points in conference play, seven clear of eighth-place East Texas A&M to ensure the Huskies can finish no worse than seventh in the conference standings. As of the end of HCU's match, the Huskies were tied with Lamar and UIW at the top of the SLC standings.
The Huskies will host Lamar at Sorrels Field next Sunday, Nov. 1, at 3:30 p.m. for the penultimate game of the regular season and HCU's final home game of the year.
