The Soccer team welcomed New Mexico State to Elmer Gray Stadium Sunday and despite a two hour weather delay, managed to finish with a 3-2 victory.
Sophomore midfielder/forward Christina Arteaga said the team was happy to have home field advantage.
“It’s a great feeling to be able to have our fans and come out to win in front of such a large crowd that supports us through it all.” Arteaga said.
The Wildcats put together a strong first-half scoring three straight goals. Arteaga struck first in the 19th minute off of a save deflection from senior defender/midfielder Caity Acosta.
The second goal was nearly identical to the first. Arteaga was the one to take the shot, but deflected it to senior forward Dylan Owens for an easy goal at the 23rd minute.
With limited time left in the first-half, junior forward Sam Vestel passed a breakaway ball to freshman midfielder/forward Ashley Stamps who scored the team’s third goal as time expired.
At halftime, a storm rolled into the Abilene area and caused the weather delay just a few minutes after the second-half started.
Owens said her team lost a lot of momentum in the two hour wait.
“The rain delay definitely changed our mindsets, some of us thought we were not even going to play the second half,” Owens said. “I have a feeling that if we had played the game straight through, the score would have been much different.”
The second-half eventually started and the Aggies found a way to creep back into the game.
At the 63rd minute a corner kick was taken by New Mexico State’s Alexa Barrera, who kicked it perfectly to her teammate Aileen Galicia. Galicia took the ball and shot it right past redshirt junior goalkeeper Rachel Johnson. This was the first goal allowed in by ACU at home.
During the 81st minute, the Aggies managed to get another goal in when Emma Smith took a pass from Barrera and pushed it pass Johnson into the back of the goal.
The Wildcats kept the ball away from their defenders, however, and held on to win.
Johnson had another four saves, while ACU had 12 players record a shot attempt.
ACU next travels to face the University of North Alabama on Friday at 7 p.m.
