Box Score
ABILENE – The combination of
Lyndsey Womack and
Andrea Carpenter connected for the second time in three days to provide the lone goal of a 1-0 win over Eastern New Mexico Friday afternoon at the Wildcat Soccer Pitch.
Carpenter struck the game-winner in the 80th minute after receiving the perfect pass from Womack who raced the ball straight up the middle after fielding a turnover in the Zias' half of the field. The goal appeared quite similar to their give-and-go play during the 20th minute of Wednesday's 1-0 triumph over Midwestern State.
“It could have been anybody, but I found myself with an open field and just went for it,” Womack said. “I connect well with Andrea and that's one of our favorite balls to play where I'm starting on the left and she's on my right. And as soon as she got the ball I knew she would score at the right moment.”
The goal was Carpenter's 11th of the season and sixth over the last four games, raising her season point total to 25. Womack's fourth assist tied
Julie Coppedge for the most on ACU this season.
“That was a great goal for sure and a near duplicate of Wednesday's,” head coach
Casey Wilson said. “But give credit to Eastern New Mexico, they played well and it became a chess match out there late with each team trying to get one in before overtime.”
ACU finished the match with a 16-4 advantage in shots, outshooting the Zias 8-2 in each half. ENMU goalkeeper Sierra Cardenas made five saves in the loss, while
Elliott London was forced to make just one as a southeasterly gust between 25 and 30 miles per hour played havoc throughout the match.
“Both teams are used to playing in these elements but it forces you to play less kickball,” Wilson said. “I thought our three backs – Brie (Buschman), Lexi (Stirling) and Kat (Garner) did an especially good job in following the ball and winning volleys.”
“The wind makes it a completely different match, it forces you to think more and keep the ball on the ground,” added Womack, “We had to make some changes to our game, but luckily for us we handled it well enough to win.”
London's shutout was her fourth solo effort of the season and seventh for the Wildcats. Her goals-against average now stands at 0.33 as she improved to 10-0-0.
Andrea Elizondo recorded all four of Eastern New Mexico's shots.
The victory improved No. 4 ACU's overall and conference records to 11-0-1 and 7-0-1 to remain atop the Lone Star Standings with 22 points. Eastern New Mexico (9 pts.) fell to 4-5-3 and 2-3-3, tying Incarnate Word for fifth place in the eight-team league.
The Cardinals were upset earlier Friday at winless Texas Woman's, creating a logjam in the middle of the standings with six teams separated by three points. Second place Angelo State (11 pts.) faces seventh-place Commerce (8 pts.) later tonight, and a loss by the Rambelles pushes ACU a step closer toward winning its first LSC regular season championship.
The Wildcats return to action Sunday at 1 p.m. for the home regular-season finale vs. West Texas A&M. ACU seniors
Ashley Holton, London and Womack will be honored during a pregame ceremony.
