Box Score
WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Goals from
Krysta Grimm and
Megan Turner, combined with a defensive effort that survived 16 shots and five corner kicks, carried the No. 2 Abilene Christian soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Midwestern State Friday night.
The Wildcats, who have won their last three meetings against the Mustangs after starting the series 0-5, are now 16-0-1 on the season and 12-0-1 vs. the Lone Star Conference. ACU has won 12 straight matches since beginning conference play with a 1-1 tie vs. Incarnate Word, and is 20-0-2 since its last loss on Oct. 29, 2010 at A&M-Commerce.
Tonight's match – ACU's fifth of a perfect 5-0 road trip – played out similarly to many of its recent victories, in that the Wildcats were forced to hold off a relentless opponent while not being able to score until the closing minutes of regulation. In fact, their last first-half goal came during the 20th minute of a 1-0 home win vs. the Mustangs – a span of six matches.
Midwestern State started the match as the aggressor in ripping four of the first five shots, including a header by Kelsey Hill off Maddie Fraser's 23rd minute corner kick that hit the post. Wildcat goalkeeper
Elliott London then made saves on shots by Mickey Brown and Hill in the 25th and 32nd minutes to escape the first half unscathed.
ACU's offense didn't click until midway through the first half when
Jacey Ferrara and
Andrea Carpenter fired consecutive shots, one saved by goalkeeper Mallory Whitworth and the other blocked by a defender. The Wildcats outshot the Mustangs 3-0 over the final 13 minutes of the period, but all sailed wide of the goal as both teams entered the break in a 0-0 deadlock.
The offenses were firing on all cylinders coming out of the half, determined to score first, but only two of the first 13 shots recorded were on target and another three were blocked. But following the block of Lindsay Pritchard's attempt at the start of the 74th minute, the Wildcats counter attacked and
Krysta Grimm was able to slip one past Whitworth for her ninth goal of the season.
Less than 10 minutes later the fresh legs of
Megan Turner made it a 2-0 game, finishing off a cross from ACU's new assist leader
Ashley Craig. For Turner, who entered the match just two minutes prior to scoring, it was her third goal of the year, and for Craig, it was her sixth assist, breaking out of a three-way tie with
Julie Coppedge and
Lyndsey Womack.
Turner nearly made it a 3-0 game, but a defender on the goal line saved her header in the 85th minute, and then Whitworth responded with saves on shots taken by
Whitley Lindholm and Coppedge.
Midwestern State again made it interesting in the 89th minute after Callie Briseno butted in her team's fifth and final corner kick that trimmed ACU's lead to 2-1, but neither team would take another shot over the final 1:20.
ACU outshot Midwestern State 17-16, including 11-9 in the final stanza. London made four saves in improving to 15-0, while Whitworth stopped five.
Midwestern's Hill led all players with six shots, but placed only one on goal.
The loss for Midwestern State snapped its five-match conference-winning streak, dropping its records to 10-5-2 overall and 8-4-1 within the conference. The Mustangs, however, locked up the No. 2 seed for next week's Lone Star Conference Soccer Championship at the Wildcat Soccer Pitch because Eastern New Mexico lost 2-1 at West Texas A&M.
The Lady Buffs' victory also eliminated Incarnate Word from postseason play. The Cardinals battled Angelo State to a 1-1 tie earlier Friday.
The Wildcats return to action Sunday at home for a 1 p.m. match vs. West Texas A&M. Seniors
Ashley Holton, London and Womack will be recognized in a prematch ceremony.
ACU will also be playing host to the conference's postseason tournament the weekend of Nov. 3 to 6. Tickets are currently on sale through the link provided at ACUSports.com.
Abilene Christian (16-0-1) vs. Midwestern State (10-5-2)
Date: Oct 28, 2011 Attendance: 558
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
------------------------------
-
Abilene Christian... 0 2 - 2
Midwestern State.... 0 1 - 1
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 73:55 ACU Krysta Grimm (9) (unassisted)
2. 82:10 ACU Megan Turner (3) (Ashley Craig)
3. 88:40 MSU Callie Briseno (1) (Maddie Fraser) - Corner kick
Shots: Abilene Christian 17, Midwestern State 16
Saves: Abilene Christian 4 (Elliott London 4), Midwestern State 6
(Mallory Whitworth 5; TEAM 1)
