Women's Soccer | 9/17/2014 10:02:00 AM
ACU vs. Sam Houston State Live Stats | ACU vs. Houston Baptist Live Stats
ABILENE - Abilene Christian soccer begins its second season of Southland Conference competition this weekend with matches at Sam Houston State and Houston Baptist. Live stats will be offered for each contest.
ACU defeated both teams at home in 2013. The Wildcats held on to beat the Bearkats, 2-1, with both goals coming within a two-minute window in the second half. Sophomore
Natalie Throneberry assisted on
Jacey Ferrara's goal in the 51st minute, and then Ferrara returned the favor by assisting on
Andrea Carpenter's game-winner in the 53rd minute.
Sophomore goalkeeper
Sydney Newton shutout the Huskies on seven saves and faced 22 shots, including 10 in the second half. Throneberry scored the match's lone goal at the start of the 10th minute after flicking the ball over the head over goalkeeper Stephanie Castellon from 12 yards away.
Alyssa Gerner was credited with the assist.
The Wildcats emerged from a very difficult non-conference schedule at 3-5 with their wins coming against Wayland Baptist, Texas Wesleyan and a first-year NCAA DI team from UT-Pan American. Their losses, meanwhile, came against well-established and successful programs from Tulsa, UTEP, North Texas, TCU and No. 7 Texas Tech, which defeated ACU Sunday night in Lubbock, 2-0, to remain undefeated at 7-0.
Two days prior to their first meeting against a nationally ranked DI opponent, the Wildcats ran roughshod over the UTPA Bucs, 5-1, in San Antonio. The five goals were ACU's highest total of the year and most since scoring five at John Brown last fall.
Substitutes Throneberry,
Tiffany Ysassi and
Baylee Mitchell each recorded three or more points for the Wildcats. Throneberry and Ysassi both had a goal and assist, while Mitchell scored twice in raising her team leads in goals and points to four and eight, respectively. Mitchell's performance helped her earn honorable mention Offensive Player of the Week honors from the Southland Conference.
Sam Houston State is off to 1-6 start and in the midst of a four-match losing streak after falling Sunday at home to TCU, 3-1. The Bearkats also lost by the same score earlier this month at Texas Tech.
SHSU only has scored five times in seven matches and are led in the points column with four by Shelby McDaniel.
In goal, Magen Ross posted a 2-1 win over Prairie View A&M with one save. Kylie Hambleton has started the Bearkats' six losses and has a 2.67 goals-against average and .636 save percentage.
Houston Baptist comes into this weekend at 1-5-1 and will have Friday night off before welcoming the Wildcats Sunday afternoon. The Huskies' lone win was a 3-0 decision at New Mexico State and their tie came against Houston (1-1) last Friday. HBU followed that deadlock with a 2-0 loss to North Texas. The Huskies also have fallen to Montana, UTEP, Baylor and UTSA.
Natalie Hager and Kristi O'Brien have combined to score four of HBU's six goals, while in goal the Huskies' coaching staff have played three goalkeepers: Castellon (90 minutes), Patty Walrath (462 minutes) and Katie Turner (110 minutes). Walrath won the match for HBU at New Mexico State and has 23 saves on the year.
