ACU hit the soccer fields again last Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. for their second match of the season against University of Texas at El Paso Miners. The Wildcats were able to pull off a 2-1 win in the last 20 minutes of the game.
The Miners led the entire 69 minutes of the game with a 1-0 lead. Senior defender Kori Lewis was able to get one in the back of the net in the 8th minute.
The Wildcats were not able to score until freshman midfielder Natalie Jones scored two goals in the last 20 minutes of the match.
The first goal came off of Jones’s shot off the box in the 70th minute. The last goal of the night and Jones’s second came in the 88th minute when she intercepted the ball and took it up herself for the game winning goal.
Although, the Wildcats had a slow offensive start, they were able to outsout the Miners in the second half, 18-14, and were also able to lead 8-6 in shots placed on frame. Jones led the board with five shot attempts, while senior midfielder Shay Johnson was close behind with three.
Junior goalkeeper Erin Smith had five valuable saves on Sunday’s match. The Wildcats led in corner kicks earned as well, 8-5.
After Sunday’s night win, this will be the 8th consecutive season that the Wildcats face the Miners, with the series of three wins, two losses and two ties apiece.
The Wildcats have won three straight matches against UTEP, including Sunday’s 2-1 win, 1-0 win in Abilene last season and 2-1 in El Paso two years ago.
This will be the first time ACU has been 2-0 since 2013, but the team’s first time as a Division 1 team.
The Wildcats will host their first home game in the regular season against the University of Southwest Friday. Kickoff is at 7 p.m at Elmer Grey Stadium.
