In the final home game for nearly four weeks for the University of the Incarnate Word women’s soccer team, the Cardinals defeated Texas-Permian Basin, 2-1, to remain undefeated in Heartland Conference play.
The win improves the No. 19-ranked women’s record to 9-1-2 overall and 4-0 in conference play, but the team knows that it has to do a better job of putting away early chances.
“This was a game where we could have been up 4-0 in the first half,” head coach Tina Patterson said. “But, we didn’t and they (UTPB) were able to get that goal and, suddenly, they’re back in it. It’s something we will focus on.”
The Cardinals jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first half when Sarah Hernandez took control of the ball near the left-side goalpost for Permian Basin and drew three defenders to her. Thinking quickly, the junior forward passed the ball back to teammate Lianah Flores, who ripped a shot to the far post past the goalkeeper.
The goal was the sixth of the season for Flores and the assist was the fourth of the year for Hernandez.
Up 1-0 at halftime, UIW scored early in the second half when Hernandez took control near midfield and powered her way through every Falcon between her and the goal, beating the goalie high on the back post for the 2-0 lead.
The goal was the 10th of the season for Hernandez, who leads the team in goals and points.
Ten minutes later, however, UTPB (3-8-0, 1-4) got on the board and made it a different ballgame when Hannah Dozier took a long ball from her defense right up the middle through the UIW defense for a goal in the 58th minute.
However, there were no more shots on-goal or even at the Incarnate Word net the rest of the game, and UIW out-shot the Falcons 25-5 in the contest.
Now, the Cardinals will have to play five consecutive Heartland Conference road games in the longest such stretch of the season.
However, Coach Patterson isn’t worried about how her team will handle all the road games.
“We have an older team and they know what is expected,” she said. “And, frankly, the games against St. Mary’s (October 9th) and St. Edward’s (October 11th) aren’t really road games for us since those schools are so close. It’s the games like up in Kansas at Newman that we can’t afford to have a silly game. There is too much at stake and our girls know that.”
The Cardinals return home to Benson Stadium on October 30th for a 6 p.m. matchup against St. Edward’s University.