The No. 21 SMU women’s soccer team went 1-1 against sometough opponents this weekend, falling 2-0 to the No. 20 UCLA BruinsFriday evening. The team rebounded to defeat the No. 27 SaintMary’s Gaels 3-0 on Sunday.
The Mustangs (4-2-1), playing their toughest schedule in severalyears, performed admirably against the Bruins (4-2), a team thathas been ranked as high as third in the country this year.
“We played with a lot of heart,” said freshmandefender Greta Carter. “UCLA is a good school with a reallygood team. We battled with them for a really long time, but we letin a bad goal, and it just went downhill from there. But we gave itall we could, and we’re going to take that withus.”
UCLA was not able to mount its typical speed-based attack,forced to the outside by SMU’s young defense.
UCLA’s first goal came on a controversial second-halfpenalty kick when UCLA’s pre-season All-American Jill Oakestripped over SMU first-year Kimber Bailey in the penalty area.
What made the kick so contentious was that about 30 secondsearlier, an SMU forward had gone down in the UCLA box on a similarplay with no call.
The goal, by Bruin defender Kendal Billingsley, was her first ofthe year.
“I can’t comment about the calls,” saidMustangs’ Head Coach John Cossaboon, “But I thought theflow of the game changed a couple of times through nothing ourplayers did.
UCLA is one of the best in the country, and for our youngplayers to hang with them, that’s what we take away from thisgame.”
The Bruins’ other goal came in the dying minutes, as theMustangs pushed forward to try and tie the game. UCLA broke outtwo-on-two, and the SMU defense overcommitted to the ball carrier,allowing the cross to go by an unmarked Bristyn Davis who scored,securing a Bruins’ victory.
Even with the loss, the SMU players were excited about the waythey played.
“I don’t think we really could have played anybetter,” said senior defender Amanda Jordan. “We heldthe game foot and foot with them. I just think at the very end,they got lucky, but I don’t think it’s anything that wedid wrong.”
The first half of the game against Saint Mary’s was alsoscoreless, but SMU came out strong in the second half, forcing theGaels back on their heels.
Senior Erin MacCallum scored in the 63rd minute to break openthe game.
Kimber Bailey and Adria Campbell scored the other SMU goals.
In other action Friday evening, Saint Mary’s defeated theStephen F. Austin Lady Jacks 3-2 in one overtime period. Stephen F.Austin is now 1-3-1 on the season.
The Mustangs will be on the road until Friday, Oct. 8 when theyplay Hawaii at Westcott Field. Their next match is at 7 p.m.,Friday when they travel to the University of North Texas.
