OKLAHOMA CITY – The Mid-America Christian women's soccer team got back on the winning track on Saturday night as senior forward Veronica Lopez Cordero led the Evangels with a pair of goals, including the game-winning score to lead MACU to a 2-1 victory over Texas Wesleyan at the Mike & Helen Dill Soccer Field.
 
SCORING SUMMARY

• First Half
  • MACU – 29:14 – Goal: Veronica Lopez Cordero (2) – MACU 1, TWU 0
  • TWU – 39:57 – Goal: Cara Zwilling (8), Assist: Vanessa Soriano – MACU 1, TWU 1
• Second Half
  • MACU – 73:18 – Goal: Veronica Lopez Cordero (3) – MACU 2, TWU 1

MATCH SUMMARY

• First Half
  • Both teams were able to force some early chances as Kadin Stinson and Johanna Behrens were each able to place shots on-goal in the 11^th and 19^th minutes while TWU's Tameir Grosvenor had a good look on a breakaway shot in the 19^th minute as well, but MACU goalkeeper Jennifer Starwalt made a strong save to keep the Lady Rams off the board.
  • The next shot on-goal wouldn't come for another 11 minutes as it would be the go-ahead score for MACU. After Kelsey Henry was tripped up just a foot outside the top left corner of the 18-yard box, the Evangels were awarded a free kick that was taken by Veronica Lopez Cordero. The senior striker was able to rifle a shot through to the left post, barely glancing off the hand of the diving Julia Villalobos and into the back of the net to make it a 1-0 game.
  • Texas Wesleyan was able to find an equalizer with just over five minutes left in the half when TWU's Vanessa Soriano was able to take it away from Alissa Taylor and break into the left side of the box. Soriano was able to deliver an open cross to Cara Zwilling as she punched it in through the right post to bring it even at the halftime break.
• Second Half
  • Henry was the only player to put a shot on-goal in the first 28 minutes of the second half before it would be Lopez Cordero coming up clutch. On the game-winning play, Henry broke down the right side line and delivered a strong cross into the 18-yard box for Sylvie Willie. Villalobos was able to get her hands on it to deflect it, but with Willie pressuring on the play, a TWU defender's attempt at a clear went right to Lopez Cordero, as she slipped a shot through a defender and behind Villalobos over-pursuing toward the left post to make it a 2-1 MACU lead.
  • Starwalt was able to make four strong saves over the final 16 minutes, including a trio of saves between the 75^th and 79^th minutes to seal the victory for the Evangels.

MATCH NOTES

• Despite Texas Wesleyan having a 14-10 shot advantage against MACU, the two teams evenly placed six shots on-goal while the Evangels were able to take advantage of better opportunities throughout the contest.
• Veronica Lopez Cordero and Johanna Behrens led the Evangels offensive efforts with three shots apiece with both having two land on-target.
• Lopez Cordero turned in her first career game-winning goal and the third multi-goal match of her Evangels career. Lopez Cordero netted a pair of goals in a 10-1 win against Texas A&M-Texarkana on Sept. 26, 2020 before getting two scores and an assist in a 12-0 victory over Manhattan Christian on Oct. 17, 2020.
• Senior goalkeeper Jennifer Starwalt effectively stopped five of the shots she faced for an .833 save percentage while conceding just one goal.
• Mid-America Christian improved to 7-4 overall on the season and will take a 4-1 conference record into the second half of SAC play. Meanwhile, Texas Wesleyan dropped to 5-4-2 overall and 0-3-1 in SAC competition.

UP NEXT

• Mid-America Christian will return to the road on Tuesday as the Evangels will head to Plainview, Texas for a 5 p.m. match at Wayland Baptist.