The SMU women’s soccer team is cementing its reputation asa second half team. The team most recently came back from a 0-2deficit Friday evening to defeat the Hawaii Warriors 3-2. Laterthat weekend, they routed the University of Houston 6-1, led bysophomore Adria Campbell’s first career hat trick.
Campbell also scored the tying goal against Hawaii and was namedthe WAC Offensive Player of the Week.
The Mustangs, (8-2-2, 2-0-1 WAC), are now ranked No. 20 in theNSCAA/adidas poll, No. 23 according to Soccer Times.com, No. 25 inSoccer America and No. 27 on Soccer Buzz.com.
Friday evening, Hawaii jumped out to an early lead, just 16seconds into the game. Two-time reigning WAC Most Valuable PlayerNatasha Kai launched a rocket from 25 yards out, beatingSMU’s senior goaltender Amanda Clark.
Hawaii doubled their lead in the 19th minute, when Kai againstruck, this time from just inside the box. It was thejunior’s 10th goal of the season.
“Friday night we played Hawaii and our first halfperformance was terrible,” sophomore Susanne Collins said ina press release. “We didn’t know what hit us.
“We had been anticipating this game all season long andhad been preparing throughout the week, but somehow we allowed thefirst 45 minutes to just slip away.”
However, the Mustangs came out with a renewed vigor in thesecond half, peppering the Warriors with 12 shots, six of them ongoal and three finding the back of the net in a furiouseight-minute rally.
Freshman Kimber Bailey got SMU on the board seven minutes intothe half, heading an Olivia O’Rear corner kick past Hawaiigoalkeeper Erin Chow. O’Rear picked up another assist fiveminutes later when she and senior Jill Heinemann assisted onCampbell’s tying goal.
But it was another freshman, midfielder Allison Brill, whoscored the game winner in the 60th minute, launching a 30-yard bombthat flew into the upper corner of the net. Heinemann again had theassist.
For all of Friday night’s dramatics, Sunday’s gameagainst the Houston Cougars was a mismatch from the beginning.
Campbell book-ended the afternoon with goals in the third and90th minute, notching her other tally at 26:39. O’Rear, asophomore, picked up two goals and SMU’s other score came offa Houston foot for an own goal.
Freshman goaltender Ariel House played in her second game of theseason, letting in a late goal but making three saves. SeniorAmanda Clark played the first half.
The Mustangs visit the Rice Owls Friday before returning toWestcott field to face Tulsa at 1 p.m. Sunday, followed by a gameat 7 p.m. Tuesday against the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles.
