The soccer team picked up two wins at Shotwell this weekend against Nicholls State and Southeastern Louisiana. The wins improve the Wildcats’ record to 6-6 and 3-1 in the Southland Conference.
The Wildcats shut out the Nicholls State Colonels 3-0 on Friday afternoon. ACU struck first on a goal by Baylee Mitchell, sophomore forward from Flower Mound, in the 27th minute making her sixth goal of the season. Mitchell is the first Wildcat to score six or more goals in a season since former ACU great Andrea Carpenter.
After halftime, ACU came out and extended the lead with two goals in the 60th and 82nd minutes. Lindsey Jones, junior forward from McKinney, found the back of the net off of a free kick from about 10 yards out, and Maria Gomez, from Naples, Florida, scored her first goal of the season.
“One of the things I wanted to focus on this year is improving our ability to score from the outside,” said Casey Wilson, head coach. “We have a lot of girls that can score from the outside and give us a scoring option other than our forwards.”
Two days later, the Wildcats faced the top team in the conference in Southeastern Louisiana and came away with a 2-1 win. ACU and SELU headed into halftime with a 1-1 tie. The Lions took an early lead after the Southland Conference goals leader Bri Singh, sophomore forward, recorded her 11th goal. Mitchell provided the equalizer in the 34th minute. This was Mitchell’s seventh goal on the year which ties her for second in the conference as well as fourth for points with 14.
“She has been very impressive this year and has found a way to be in the right place at the right time,” Wilson said. “A lot of her strikes outside of the 18 have been really impressive, and I think that accounts for three or four of her goals.”
Sydney Newton, sophomore goal keeper from Mansfield, came in to start the second half and recorded four saves in her shutout half. The Wildcats pulled in front in the 70th minute as sophomore Alyssa Gerner launched a 12-foot diagonal shot which sailed over the head of the Lion goalkeeper.
The Wildcats will look for their third consecutive win in the team’s next game against the University of Central Arkansas. The game will be at 7 p.m. Friday in Conway, Arkansas.
