SMU’s Kim Peabody tries to get around Arkansas defender during Saturday’s spring game at Westscott Field. (James Bilowus)
The SMU women’s soccer team opened up a double-header at Westcott on Saturday with an exhibition game against the University of Arkansas.
A Lady Razorback team that struggled last season showed some improvements Saturday afternoon. Arkansas got an early lead and never looked back.
The Lady Razorbacks got on the board in the ninth minute of the game off an angled shot past Mustangs goalkeeper Ashley Gunter. Arkansas got a two-goal cushion in the 30th minute of the game, but the Mustangs fired right back.
Kim Peabody cut the lead in half with a shot from the middle of the field in the 31st minute of the game, and the score remained 2-1 until halftime.
In the closing minutes of the game, Arkansas sealed the deal when Gunter couldn’t control a pass coming through the middle and the Lady Razorbacks punched it in.
The Mustangs fell 3-1 to Arkansas in their second exhibition game.
The SMU men’s soccer team completed the double-header against Tyler Junior College.
The men were more successful than the women, pulling out a 3-2 victory. With the loss of key seniors the Mustangs showed that they could still get the ball in the back of the net.
SMU got on the board early off a corner kick from Jeff Harwell that Ryan Mirsky redirected into the goal, just five and a half minutes later the Mustangs doubled their lead 6:42 into the game.
Again it was Harwell helping out a teammate and his team in putting balls in the net. This time Harwell assisted Scott Corbin, who got the ball past Tyler’s goalkeeper.
Tyler JC cut the lead in half off a penalty kick. The Mustangs entered the intermission with a 2-1 lead.
Tyler JC tied the game in the second half as the shot just got over Craig Hill and found its way into the net. But the Mustangs countered on a penalty kick of their own with less than eight minutes left in the game.
Corbin collected his second goal of the match, and the game-winner, with his successful penalty kick.
The men’s soccer team will play one more exhibition game before summer with an April 27 match-up against Midwestern State at Westcott Field.
SMU’s Manuel Mariel tries to beat Tyler Junior College’s Kyle Timm to the ball on Saturday night at Westscott Field. (Daneya Ammon)
