OKLAHOMA CITY – After battling through some early season offensive struggles and injuries, the Mid-America Christian women's soccer team was able to get back on-track in a big way as the Evangels cruised to a 3-1 victory over the University of the Southwest (N.M.) at Brian Harvey Field on Labor Day.
SCORING SUMMARY
- 1st Half – MACU – 1:03 – Goal: Annika Gerdau (1) – MACU 1, USW 0
- 1st Half – MACU – 5:10 – Goal: Mia Willyerd (1), Assist: Daniela Paez – MACU 2, USW 0
- 1st Half – USW – 44:43 – Goal: Jennifer Schroeder (1) – MACU 2, USW 1
- 2nd Half – MACU – 64:25 – Goal: Francesca Martella (1) – MACU 3, USW 1
MATCH SUMMARY
- Mid-America Christian was quick to strike, scoring on its first shot attempt of the game. On the go-ahead play, Cammy Hargrove launched a pass to a wide open Annika Gerdau down the right sideline. After dribbling toward the middle, Gerdau launched a 35-foot, left-footed heave toward the top-left corner just out of the reach of the keeper to make it a 1-0 MACU lead.
- Four minutes later, the Evangels struck gold again when Daniela Paez fed a beautiful ball from the left side toward Mia Willyerd breaking toward the middle of the 18-yard box. After the Mustangs goalkeeper tried to slide in to poke the ball away, Willyerd flipped the ball over the keeper's leg toward the left side before booting the open shot into the back of the net.
- In the final minute, Southwest was able to claw a goal back. On the go-ahead play, Maya Sanchez was able to dribble around two defenders to place an on-target shot. While Makayla Farquharson was able to bat the shot away toward the left side of the goal, USW forward Jennifer Schroeder was able to get to the rebounded shot and fire it just past Michaela Seahorn trying to block the shot toward the lower left post, bringing it to a 2-1 game.
- The Mustangs had the first great look at a goal in the 50th minute when Maya Sanchez heaved a 25-yard shot toward the left post, but Farquharson made a great diving save to keep it to one-goal Evangels lead.
- After Kealy Juarez got fouled from 38-yards out in the 65th minute, Francesca Martella netted her first career goal with the Evangels. On the free ball, Martella powered a shot toward the left side of the goal. USW keeper Andrea Martinez was in position to make the save, but the ball squirted out of the goalie's hands and into the back of the net, bringing the score to 3-1.
- Mid-America Christian was defensively dominant the rest of the match, not allowing a single Mustangs shot over the final 40 minutes of the contest.
MATCH NOTES
- For the first time during the 2022 campaign, MACU attempted more than 20 shots as the Evangels tallied 22 attempts, placing an efficient 14 on-goal while limiting Southwest to only six shots, four of which were on-target. The Evangels were especially strong in the second half, holding a 13-2 edge in shot attempts over the final 45 minutes.
- In their first season with MACU, Annika Gerdau and Francesca Martella netted their first goals with the Evangels.
- Mia Willyerd's game-winning goal in the sixth minute was the second game-winner of her collegiate career and the fourth overall goal in her second season with the program.
- The assist on Willyerd's score was Daniela Paez's fifth assist with MACU and her first of the 2022 season.
- The win over the University of the Southwest was MACU's first as the two teams faced each other for the first time.
UP NEXT
- Mid-America Christian will be back on the road on Wednesday as the Evangels will head to Olathe, Kan. to challenge MidAmerica Nazarene for a 3 p.m. match at Pioneer Field.
