Kafero-Roberts Equalizer Secures Draw With Bears

Sunday, October 25

Conway, Ark.

1 p.m.

Abilene Christian

7-2-7, 3-0-3

Central Arkansas

7-6-4, 3-1-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Abilene Christian	0	1	1
Central Ark.	1	0	1

Charlise Smith takes the ball from a Central Arkansas player on Oct. 4, 2026.

10/25/2026 5:34:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Lindsey Blasingame

CONWAY, Ark. — The Wildcat soccer team tied Central Arkansas 1-1 on Sunday. ACU finished with a 16-9 shot advantage, including 13 shots in the second half.

Bella Medrano kept the Wildcats level early with saves in the fourth and sixth minutes before the Bears scored in the eighth to put UCA ahead 1-0. ACU only totaled three shots in the first half while the Bears tallied six and carried the 1-0 lead into halftime.

Abilene Christian created the early second-half pressure, earning corner kicks in the 47th and 49th minutes before Shakira Kafero-Roberts scored off assists from Gracie Kelly and Baylie Simon to tie the match at 1-1.

The Wildcats followed with shots from Nia Leslie, Sophia Saludares and Addison Briscoe, while UCA put an attempt on frame at 59:40 that Medrano saved.

Medrano added four saves to her season total for 98 overall, maintaining her conference lead with a .899 save percentage.

Kafero-Roberts scored Abilene Christian's goal in the 50th minute, putting her only shot on frame and finishing with two points. Kelly recorded an assist for one point. Simon also tallied an assist for one point. Briscoe led Abilene Christian with five shots, including two on goal.

The 1-1 draw matches the result from the last time the two squads played on Oct. 4, 2026 in Abilene.

"We showed a strong response in the second half to find the equalizer and battle back on the road," head coach Stephen Salas said. "Our composure wasn't where it needed to be in the first half, but the team made great adjustments and responded the right way after halftime. We thought we had the game-winning goal, but it was taken off the board, and without video replay available at UCA there wasn't an opportunity to review the call to correct it. Regardless, we never want to leave the result in the officials' hands. Shakira had a great game back with a goal, and what should've been two with the disallowed goal. We created several dangerous chances in front of goal after and needed to be more clinical in those moments. We're grateful to earn a point, but we also know we left believing we could have taken all three. That's the standard this group has set."

UP NEXT

ACU hosts Tarleton State on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m. at Elmer Gray Stadium in Abilene to begin the Wildcats' final homestand of the season.

"Now everything is in front of us," Salas said. "A conference regular-season title is on the line this week at HOME, exactly where we want to be with everything still to play for. We'll need our community behind us Thursday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. as your Wildcats fight for a conference title at home!"

The Texans jumped to the top of the Red Division and clinched a conference tournament berth on Sunday with a 4-0 win over Little Rock in Stephenville.