HOUSTON – Goals in the final moments of a half can be backbreaking to the team which allows them. Such was the case on Saturday evening for the Mid-America Christian University women's soccer team at the Houston Sports Park.
MACU (1-3) allowed a goal to the University of St. Thomas-Houston (1-0) with just over two minutes to go in the first half, and the Celts added two more in the second frame to take a 3-0 lead. MACU has dropped their last three matches in a row.
UST took control of the match from the get go, recording the first six shots of the match, four of which were on target and answered by Evangels' goalkeeper Jennifer Starwalt. Kelsey Janko got the first MACU shot with just over 15 minutes left in the half, but on their ninth shot of the first half, UST got on the board.
Alexa Noyola scored with 2:03 remaining in the opening half to give the Celts a 1-0 halftime lead, and UST kept the pressure on in the second half. Starwalt had to make three more saves – bringing her match total to eight – in the opening 10 minutes of the second frame, but the Celts broke through again in the 61st minute when Noyola added her second of the night. Mariah Escobar added a third goal late in the match, and UST took the win, 3-0.
Starwalt (1-3) took the loss, but she made nine saves in the match. Jordan Thompson (1-0) earned the victory in goal for the Celts.
MACU will open their home schedule on Friday, September 14 when they host the Tigers of Paul Quinn College (2-2) at 2 p.m.
