The Wildcat soccer team was in action Friday night against Nicholls state and won the game by a score of 2-1.
This win puts the women at 2-0-0 in conference with a 3-6-1 overall record while Nicholls State fall to 0-1-1 in conference with a 3-3-1 overall record.
“We needed this win tonight,” said junior midfielder Chloe Fifer. “I’m hoping that we can go all wins in conference and get the ring, so tonight was important for us.”
After not scoring a single goal in her collegiate career before the 4-0 win against Texas A&M Corpus Christ, senior defender Kelsie Roberts has now scored in consecutive games. She put in a header in the 31st minute to give the Wildcats an early 1-0 lead over the Colonels.
“It was really great,” Roberts said. “I’m not used not used to scoring, so it’s a surprise whenever it happens, but it’s fun, it’s exciting and everyone comes up to you and gives you a big hug. So it’s intense and you feel awesome.”
The game went into overtime deadlocked 1-1. In the third minute of OT, sophomore forward Dylan Owens scored the game winning goal to give the Wildcats a 2-1 win.
Owens and Roberts now move into a six-way tie of the team lead in goals with two a piece.
Fifer continued to impress as she assisted on both goals with a corner kick to Roberts’ header and a pass to Owens for her game winning goal. This gives Fifer seven assists on the season and puts her in the lead in the Southland Conference for assists.
“A lot of my assists have come off of corners,” Fifer said. “We have really revamped our corners and the way they’ve looked recently. Today was the second assist off of a corner to Kelsie, so I think we really know where the ball is going to go and we’re able to place it in.”
Senior goalkeeper Sydney Newton got the start last night and played the full 90 minutes. She saw five shots on goal and stopped four of them giving her 35 saves on the season.
For Nicholls State, senior midfielder Jess Coates put up the one goal for the Colonels in the second half. With that goal, Coates moved to an impressive season total of six goals keeping her atop the Southland Conference in that category.
Freshman goalkeeper Roosa Hurmerinta played the full 90 minutes for the Colonels. Hurmerinta saw fourteen shots on goal and stopped twelve of them pushing her season total to 24 saves.
“I hope we celebrate this win because it’s exciting,” said Roberts. “We’re going to stick with it though and our coaches always tell us to keep having a business like mentality.”
The Wildcats will next face Southeastern Louisiana at Elmer Gray Stadium Sunday.
