Lady Mustangs shutout Texas Tech and Houston
The women’s soccer team went 2-0 this weekend, defeatingTexas Tech 2-0 Friday night and winning at Houston 3-0 on Sunday. The wins bring the Lady Mustangs to 3-1 on the season. The loss was Tech’s 19th in a row, dating back to lastyear, while Houston falls to 1-3.
Friday night, Morgan Field provided all the offense SMU wouldneed in the 44th minute. The sophomore from Dallas knocked arebound past Lady Raider goalkeeper Megan Knauss, who had beenpulled out of position by the initial shot. Adria Campbellhad the assist.
Senior co-captain Kim Harvey, after hitting two posts and thecrossbar in the first half, added an insurance goal in the 75thminute when she volleyed an Ashley Watson cross into an opennet.
“I felt like it was about time,” said Harvey, wholeads the team with five goals in four games. “I waskind of frustrated from hitting three posts in the first half. It was a great cross from [Watson].”
At Houston, Campbell scored the game-winning goal in the 15thminute, and Harvey followed with a goal of her own 41 secondslater. Freshman Susanne Collins rounded out the scoring whenshe netted her first collegiate goal in the 90th minute. JillHeinemann assisted on all three goals.
SMU’s next game is Tuesday night, when they return toWestcott Field to face TCU at 7 p.m. TCU comes in to thematch with a 2-1 record.
SMU’s defense, anchored by junior Amanda Jordan, helpedgoalkeeper Amanda Clark earn her first two shutouts of the season,lowering her goals against average to 1.14.
“Ever since I came here, Amanda Clark has really steppedup,” said Lady Mustang coach John Cossaboon. “[Assistant coach] Stewart Brown has been working withher, and her work ethic and habits are just second tonone.”
Even though SMU held an 11-4 advantage in shots throughFriday’s first half, the team was not particularly pleasedwith its early performance.
“I think we underestimated [Tech] a little,” saidCossaboon. “We have to understand that all teams shouldbe respected, but you can’t play to the level of yourcompetition. I don’t think we came out with the righttype of intensity. “
Field said that the team was disappointed with the sluggish paceto the first half but that they were happy with the end result.
“Last week’s game [against sixth ranked TexasA&M] was the type of game where we go out there and really wantto win,” said Field, “and games like these, we know wehave to win. It’s a different approach, and I think webought into that a little too much”
First-years Susanne Collins, Adria Campbell, Ashley Watson andAlyssa Pembroke all started in their home debut, while highlytouted first year Olivia O’Rear came in as a substitute. The quintuplet contributed four points over two games,notching two assists against Tech and two goals at Houston.
The Lady Mustangs are not particularly worried about havingthree games in five days. “I think it’s a littleeasier when the games are this close,” Field said. “When you have a week or so between games, you tend torelax a little bit, but we need to keep the intensityup.”
Harvey agreed. “I don’t think it will be aproblem. Physically, we’re in great shape, andit’s just going to be about getting enough rest.”
