WAXAHACHIE, Texas– The Mid-America Christian women's soccer team was able to get the offensive attack going early before utilizing a stifling defense in the second half to secure the Evangels' first Sooner Athletic Conference road win of the season against Southwestern Assemblies of God at Waxahachie High School on Tuesday night.
SCORING SUMMARY
MATCH SUMMARY
- Mid-America Christian had a golden opportunity to score the first goal in the seventh minute when Francesca Martella's free kick from the left side into the box got batted around before ending up at the foot of Bruna Faleiro. After her first shot was knocked down by the defense, her rebounded shot from 12-yards out bounced off the bottom of the crossbar before Kanasa Spybuck's follow-up went ride right, keeping it to a scoreless game.
- Two minutes later, Spybuck found pay dirt when Cammy Hargrove sent a short relay to Jasie Eischen down the right side before slipping a pass to Spybuck getting by the SAGU defense. With the keeper trying to make a sliding stop at the point of attack, Spybuck slipped a shot to the left out of the reach of the keeper to make it a 1-0 game.
- In the 18th minute, the Lions were able to draw the match back even. After Sampa Chisanga was able to dribble around the MACU defense on the right side, she dished it to SAGU's top striker in Rylee Thatcher on the right side of the box and rifled a 15-yarder inside the left post to make it a 1-1 game.
- Six minutes later, the Evangels found the back of the net on an incredible shot by Francesca Martella. Following a goal kick by SAGU keeper Zoe Boldt, Martella was able to chest the ball down in the midfield, dribble through the Lions defense and float a beautiful 30-yard shot over the reach of the leaping keeper into the top left corner of the goal to put MACU back on-top, 2-1.
- MACU's best chance to add to its lead in the second half came in the 55th minute. After Daniela Paez launched a left-side cross into the middle of the box, Spybuck was able to take it away from the defenders, dish a pass to a trailing Kealy Juarez, but her 22-yard strike toward the right post was saved by Boldt on a diving stab, keeping it to a one-goal game.
- The Lions' last chance at an equalizer came in the 89th minute but Beatriz Rodrigues was not able to put much power behind a 23-yard sliding shot from the left side as Makayla Farquharson made an easy scooping save to seal the 2-1 final.
MATCH NOTES
- Mid-America Christian dominated the possession, outshooting Southwestern Assemblies of God by an 18-7 margin with an 8-4 edge in shots on-goal.
- Kanasa Spybuck moved into the team-lead in goal scoring with her 10th minute score. The graduate student forward has netted three goals on the season, two of which have come in the last two games.
- The assists on Spybuck's opening goal were Cammy Hargrove and Jasie Eischen's first assists of the season.
- Francesca Martella's 26th-minute winner was the first game-winning goal of her MACU career and her second goal of the season.
- Spybuck and Bruna Faleiro led the MACU attack with four shots apiece with each putting one on-goal.
- Makayla Farquharson improved to 3-5-1 in-goal this season as the starting goalkeeper conceded just one goal and made three saves for a .750 save percentage.
- With the win, Mid-America Christian improved to 16-2 all-time against SAGU and have won seven straight in the series. The victory also propelled the Evangels to a 3-7-1 overall record with a 2-0-1 mark in Sooner Athletic Conference play while the Lions dropped to 2-8 and fell to 0-3 in league play.
UP NEXT
- Mid-America Christian will continue its three-match road stand on Saturday as the Evangels will head to Fort Worth, Texas to take on Texas Wesleyan. Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m. at Martin Field.
