ABILENE – The Abilene Christian women's soccer team four-game winning streak came to an end Friday evening at the Wildcat Soccer Complex following a 1-1 tie with Incarnate Word in the Lone Star Conference season opener for both teams.
The Wildcats (4-0-1) fired 25 shots, including 13 in the second half and three more in the second overtime, but were turned away time and time again by goalkeeper Victoria Puentes, who completed the 110-minute battle with 13 saves. The Cardinals' (2-0-2) field players blocked an additional six shots, and an attempt by
Krysta Grimm early in the first half hit square off the crossbar.
Unfortunately for Puentes, the lone goal scored against her was by one of her teammates trying to defend the goalmouth on
Ashley Craig's corner kick in the 40th minute. Several players made a play for the ball as it came down inside the six-yard box, but the head referee ruled that it was a defender who nicked it in by accident.
ACU entered the break with a 1-0 lead and continuously showered the Cardinal net throughout the second half only to see Puentes make another stop (she had seven in the second half) or a defender redirect the ball. Equally as frustrating was the increased level of physicality demonstrated by the Cardinals, who in committing 15 fouls in a 45-minute window received just one yellow card.
By comparison, ACU was charged with just 11 fouls for the entire match.
Despite its success in keeping the Wildcats' offense grounded, Incarnate Word was largely inconsistent on offense until late in the game when Angelica Carrizales scored her first goal of the season in the 77th minute. Defender Amanda Watkins was credited with the assist after lofting a perfectly-placed through ball right to the feet of Carrizales from near the midfield stripe.
Carrizales charged straight at the net through a pair of Wildcat defenders and then beat goalkeeper
Arielle Moncure one-on-one from just inside the 18-yard box.
Following their goal, the Cardinals would hold ACU to just two more second-half shots and none through the first 10-minute overtime period.
Moncure saved five shots in 55 minutes of play and helped defend six Cardinal corner kicks. Starter
Elliott London, who blanked Incarnate Word on one save in the first half, returned to goal in the second overtime and made a nice stop on Carrizales at the corner of the 18. Once again Carrizales had slipped past the defense and likely was a step away from scoring the golden goal.
Incarnate Word finished the match with 16 shots with no player recording more than three. Grimm led the Wildcats with seven shots, while
Andrea Carpenter registered three shots on goal despite being double and triple-teamed throughout her 110 minutes.
Julie Coppedge and
Lyndsey Womack also placed three shots on frame.
ACU returns to action Sunday at 1 p.m. vs. Angelo State.
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Soccer Game Summary (Final)
2011 ACU Soccer
Incarnate Word vs #12 Abilene Christian (Sep 16, 2011 at Abilene, Texas)
Incarnate Word2-0-2 (0-0-1 LSC) vs. Abilene Christian4-0-1 (0-0-1 LSC)
Date: Sep 16, 2011 Attendance: 100
Weather: 82, Mostly Cloudy, 12 mph wind from SSW
Goals by period 1 2 OT O2 Tot
-------------------------------------
Incarnate Word...... 0 1 0 0 - 1
Abilene Christian... 1 0 0 0 - 1
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 39:20 ACU OWN GOAL Corner kick - own goal off corner kick, headed in by UIW #2
2. 76:50 UIWW Angelica Carrizales (1) (Amanda Watkins) - Got through ball at top 18, beat defender and GK into lower right
Shots: Incarnate Word 16, Abilene Christian 25
Saves: Incarnate Word 13 (Victoria Puentes 13), Abilene Christian 7
(
Arielle Moncure 5;
Elliott London 2)
