HUNTSVILLE, Texas - Abilene Christian soccer posted a 2-0 shutout victory at Sam Houston State Sunday at Pritchett Field. The Wildcats scored a goal in each half from senior
Alyssa Gerner and freshman
Shay Johnson, while senior goalkeeper
Sydney Newton made seven saves for her sixth shutout of the season.
The win lifted ACU's overall and conference records to 8-8-2 and 7-2-1; however, the Wildcats received no help from the rest of the Southland as the three teams ahead of them in the standings were all victorious. Central Arkansas clinched the regular-season title with a 3-0 win vs. Nicholls. Stephen F. Austin (8-2) remained two points ahead of ACU with a 2-0 win vs. Incarnate Word, and Northwestern State, which defeated the Wildcats in overtime earlier this season, 2-1, whipped Southeastern Louisiana, 4-0, to match ACU's 7-2-1 conference record.
Sam Houston State fell to 2-15-1 and 2-7-1 despite outshooting the Wildcats, 20-12, and taking three more corner kicks, 7-4.
Eight of the Bearkats' shots were in the first half with only two on target as Newton didn't make her first save of the match until the 39th minute, several minutes after the Wildcats took a 1-0 lead on Gerner's second goal of the season – an unassisted strike that beat goalkeeper Anna Kaiser to her right.
ACU took that lead into the break and were immediately challenged on defense to start the second half with the Bearkats lining up for a corner kick in the 50th minute. That opportunity led to a high shot by Kaylee Davis, and second after getting the ball back, the Wildcats stormed their way down the pitch and took a 2-0 lead when Johnson headed in a Gerner cross from inside the six-yard box.
Johnson's goal was her second of the weekend and fifth of the season. Three of her goals have come during ACU's last four matches.
"It was a good win ... we played a solid game this afternoon," said head coach
Casey Wilson. "Allie (Gerner) drove toward the left post about 20 yards out and ripped a nice shot for the first goal, and she then delivered a cross resulting in Shay's (Johnson) finish."
ACU would take two additional shots for the remainder of the half while withstanding a flurry of Sam Houston attempts.
Newton made consecutive saves on shots taken by Allie Johnson and Davis in the 54th and 56th minutes, and later knocked away a Madison Cannon attempt in the 75th that led to a corner kick. The resulting shot from the corner kick sailed high.
A similar sequence played out near the start of the 79th minute following an ACU yellow card with one Bearkat missing wide and another chance blocked by the Wildcats' defense.
"It was definitely a more physical game in the second half," added Wilson," and it's never easy to win on the road at Sam Houston, but Newton had a great game today and made some incredible saves."
Newton sealed the 10th shutout of her career in the 87th minute, intercepting a shot from Johnson. Newton's career shutout total is tied for second all-time at ACU with Crissy Lawson, and her season shutout total leaves her one shy of tying Elliott London's record from 2011.
All three of Kaiser's saves were in the first half.
The Wildcats wrap their regular-season Friday at Incarnate Word. Kick off is at 7 p.m.
