ABILENE - Try as they did throughout a relentless second-half attack, the Wildcats couldn't muster enough firepower to erase an early four-goal deficit and lost their season-opener to UTSA Soccer, 4-1, on a breezy Friday evening at Elmer Gray Stadium.
The Roadrunners (1-0-0) did all their scoring within the first 26 minutes on two goals each from Katieann Lochte and Kaja Skare. Lochte buried her first goal in the seventh minute, punching back an Olivia Nicholls rebound at the near post that ACU goalkeeper
Kelsey Dombrowski slapped to the ground. Three minutes later, Lochte beat Dombrowski from 30-yards deep on a line drive that found the lower left corner.
UTSA's third goal was set up by a Marianne Hernandez free kick in the 23rd minute. The defender's cross found Sarah Gribbon on the opposite end of the 18-yard box and she tapped the ball back into the goalmouth, from where Skare punched it home.
Skare capped the Roadrunners' scoring run with a shot identical to Lochte's, taking a pass from Nicole Galan close to midfield before launching another 30-yard bomb into the netting.
Despite the potency of the USTA offense, second-half goalkeeper Hannah Weisse could make a claim for Player of the Game honors as she made seven stops in the final 45 minutes.
ACU lit the scoreboard in the final minute of the first half when freshman
Shay Johnson headed down a
Chloe Fifer corner kick, and kept coming after the Roadrunners into the second half. But nothing could get past Weisse, who was fearless in coming out of the net to stonewall Wildcat attackers during several 1-vs-1 situations.
Sophomore
Dylan Owens had three shots turned away by Weiss, as did Fifer, junior
Kate Seay, and freshmen
Brooke Lenz and
Samantha Vestal.
ACU fired 13 second-half shots thanks to a 12mph wind at its back, and outshot UTSA 17-14 despite entering the break down 9-4 in shots. The Wildcats also created six corner kick opportunities to two for the Roadrunners.
Senior
Sydney Newton played the second half in goal for ACU and came away with three saves.
Michelle Cole earned the win in goal for UTSA, finishing with one save and one goal allowed during the first half.
The Wildcats' homestand continues Sunday at 1 p.m. vs. UTEP. ACU and the Miners are meeting for the fourth-consecutive season.
