FT. WORTH, Texas - Freshman
Baylee Mitchell booted in a
Chloe Fifer free kick in the 96th minute, sending the Abilene Christian soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Texas Wesleyan Sunday afternoon at Martin Field.
The victory was ACU's second of the weekend, lifting its early-season mark to 2-2, while the Rams slipped to 1-1.
Texas Wesleyan took a 1-0 lead into the break after receiving a Kaitlin Bush goal in the 38th minute, but the Wildcats received their equalizer 20 minutes later from
Lindsey Jones off a cross from
Emily Sumrall. The goals for Jones and Mitchell were their firsts of the season.
The match remained deadlocked even as the Wildcats outshot the Rams over the final 30 minutes of regulation, 8-1. Texas Wesleyan goalkeeper Nikki Lockwood saved three shots during this span (and six for the match) to help send the match into overtime; the Wildcats sent several additional shots high and wide.
ACU continued to apply offensive pressure right at the start of overtime, but Fifer's first two attempts both hit the crossbar in the 92nd and 93rd minutes. She was then fouled by TWU's Paige Wheaton and made the home team pay by sending the ball right into the six-yard box where Mitchell got a foot on it and blasted it past Lockwood.
Wildcat sophomore goalkeeper
Sydney Newton made four saves in the victory, three of which were in the first half. Her fourth and final save came in the 66th minute against Sandra Villarreal.
ACU fired 24 shots and placed six on goal. Jones led all Wildcats with five shots, while Fifer had four.
The Wildcats return to action this Friday for a 7 p.m. match against North Texas.
