HAMMOND, La. – Freshman
Christina Arteaga's line drive in the 38th minute held up as the game-winning goal in Abilene Christian's 1-0 victory over Southeastern Louisiana Friday night at Strawberry Stadium.
The Wildcats are now off to their third 2-0 start in Southland Conference action, improving to 4-5 overall, while the Lady Lions fell to 2-6-1 overall and 0-2 vs. the league.
Arteaga's goal was her second of the season – a hard shot up the middle that first skimmed off goalkeeper Michaela Hawthorn's finger tips before reaching the back of the net. The freshman has five points on the season and continues to lead the team with 36 shots after tying
Dylan Owens for the team lead tonight with four.
The Wildcats outshot Southeastern Louisiana 10-2 in the first half and 19-5 overall.
"It was a tough game tonight," head coach
Casey Wilson said. "The team played hard and we had a lot of good quality minutes from players off of the bench. Christina had a nice goal as we had a lot of good chances. We now need to turn the page and look toward Sunday at Nicholls."
The Wildcats failed in their attempts to extend the lead several times during the second half. A hard shot from Owens in the 54th minute was intercepted by Hawthorn, and six minutes later the Lady Lions survived a blast toward the goal line by
Megan Baer followed by a
Chloe Fifer corner kick.
ACU's defense once again held the opposition to a single-digit shot total, as Southeastern watched all three of its shots on goal caught by freshman goalkeeper
Erin Smith, who improved to 3-4 on the season behind her first career shutout.
ACU returns to action Sunday at 1 p.m. in Thibodaux, La. when they battle the Colonels at the Nicholls Soccer Complex.
