OKLAHOMA CITY – In its return home to the Dill Soccer Field on Thursday afternoon, the MACU Women's Soccer team pulled out a dominant 4-1 victory over LSU Alexandria. The Evangels rallied behind a pair of stellar offensive performances from their top two strikers in
Gladis Avalos and
Brae Baker, who combined for three goals and two assists in the match.
SCORE
- (RV) Mid-America Christian 4, LSU Alexandria 1
- Mid-America Christian: (5-1)
- LSU Alexandria: (1-5)
SCORING SUMMARY
MATCH SUMMARY
- First Half
- MACU started on the front foot, testing LSUA goalkeeper Meike Van Straten with three shots on-goal in the opening 15 minutes, including forcing a spectacular double save out of van Straten to deny an early Evangel advantage.
- LSU Alexandria got its first shot on-goal in the 18th minute, forcing the first career save out of Ariana Solorio, who made her first career start at goalie for the Evangels with Alba Vigo being out with injury.
- MACU found its opening goal in the 22nd minute as Maria Scopino scored a header off a Liv Houlston corner for the second consecutive game. It was her third goal of the season as Houlston grabbed an assist in her second consecutive game.
- The Generals equalized two minutes later as Sara Escribano found Ariana Lowenstein, who fired one into the back of the net from outside the box.
- Mid-America Christian restored its lead in the 42nd minute through Gladis Avalos for her fourth goal of the season, rifling one into the top netting off the rebounded shot from Alyssa Gutierrez.
- Second Half
- Avalos had a golden opportunity to put MACU up two just five minutes into the second half, picking up a loose ball with space on the six-yard box and fired it over the crossbar.
- MACU found its two-goal lead in the 56th minute as Brae Baker won the challenge at midfield and found Avalos, who dribbled around the goalkeeper and put it into the open net for her second goal of the game.
- Houlston struck the crossbar from a shot outside the box in the 63rd minute and the rebound fell to Caitlin Hirst as her shot was saved by Van Straten from six yards out.
- Baker got on the scoresheet in the 73rd minute after her previous five shots were denied, she puts her breakaway into the bottom left corner for a sixth goal of the season. The assist credited to Avalos who added to an already spectacular performance as well as Deborah Silveira.
MATCH NOTES
- MACU held the total shots advantage over LSUA, 25-16, including a 15-6 shots on-goal margin and also a 13-7 edge in corner kicks.
- Mid-America Christian registered season-highs in shots, shots on-goal, and corner kicks with previous highs of 22 shots, 17 shots on-goal, and seven corners coming against Baker on Aug. 23.
- Gladis Avalos recorded the third brace of the season for MACU as Brae Baker had consecutive braces at the beginning of the season against Ottawa (Kan.) on Aug. 21 and Baker (Kan.) Aug 23.
- In her first career start, Ariana Solorio only allowed one goal and notched five saves for an .833 save percentage. Solorio was credited for her first win of the season.
- LSU Alexandria goalkeeper, Meika Van Straten, made 11 saves to double her total save count from her two previous appearances combined.
- MACU extended the all-time record against LSUA to 2-0 after beating them in a close 4-3 match back on Sept. 6, 2014 on the campus of Houston-Victoria in Victoria, Texas.
UP NEXT
- Mid-America Christian will stay at home for its final non-conference game before the start of Sooner Athletic Conference as the Evangels will face No. 4 Columbia on Monday, Sept. 15 for a 2:30 pm kickoff at the Dill Soccer Field.
