The Wildcats met Tarleton for the start of Western Athletic Conference play, where it ended in a tie, 1-1.
“We just missed a lot of opportunities,” head coach Casey Wilson said. “It was similar to the Texas Southern game where we were in and around. We just weren’t able to put the ball away.”
ACU started off the game strong when they scored in the fifth minute. Taylor Denn, sophomore midfielder from Medford, Oregon, set up for a corner kick and sent the ball right in front of the net where Caylen Wright, senior midfielder from Joshua, went for the header. The ball was deflected and Jordan Michie, senior forward from Arlington, was there to put it in the goal, to give ACU the lead, 1-0.
The middle of the game provided several opportunities but neither team was able to benefit and take those opportunities to the goal.
“The opportunities presented themselves throughout the game,” Wilson said. “We’re just going to keep pushing and seeing what is some different ways that we can find our way in the net and gain some more confidence.”
With eight minutes remaining in the game, Tarleton’s Kiki Baurmann gave a solid pass to Macy Hellwig, who was able to secure the ball in the net to tie the game, 1-1.
This game did not rank in high numbers on shot attempts. There was a total of 14 shot attempts, with Tarleton barely leading the Wildcats, 8-6. Yet despite the close difference, Tarleton outlasted ACU with shots on goal, where they led 6-2.
The Wildcat’s defense was strong, being able to hold off Tarleton. Lily Foster, redshirt sophomore goalkeeper from Coeur d Alene, Idaho, played her second full game of the season. Foster finished with five saves, giving her her second most saves per game, behind her North Texas performance.
“Lily Foster did a good job,” Wilson said. “Sometimes you wish in a game that she doesn’t have the opportunity to make some of those saves, but she did and she did a great job.”
The Wildcats stay at home for Southern Utah on Friday at 7 p.m. and Utah Tech on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Elmer Gray Stadium, streaming on ESPN+.
