HAMMOND, La. – Jordan Wainwright made seven saves in Sunday's match between the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's soccer team and Southeastern Louisiana. A&M-Corpus Christi finished the match with more shots on goal than an opponent for the first time this season, but an overtime penalty kick for the Lady Lions (5-7-1, 2-3-0) sent the Islanders (0-12-0, 0-5-0) to a 1-0 loss on the road.
"This was a heartbreaking result," head coach
Shanna Caldwell said. " To have the game decided on a penalty kick, and not in the run of the game, hurts. Both teams battled, and it was end-to-end action, so it's hard to see it on that type of play.
Wainwright was called upon early in the match, making four stops in the opening 45 minutes. The junior transfer made her first start in six matches and was the first Islanders netminder to play a full match since
Kendall Moody went the distance against Houston on Sept. 9.
Shayla Spearman and
Kaitlyn Joy forced Lady Lions goalkeeper Hope Sabadash into a pair of saves in the 15th and 34th minutes, respectively.
Christina Remmes had the best opportunity of the match to give the Islanders the lead, as the Kingwood, Texas, native clipped the crossbar with an effort one minute before halftime, but the teams entered the locker rooms tied at 0-0.
After the Lady Lions came out of the halftime break on the attack, Wainwright sprinted off her line to make a decisive breakaway stop in the 54th minute. The save swung momentum in favor of the Blue and Green. The Islanders generated six shots on frame in the second half, led by a pair from
Shayla Spearman and
Yvette Franco, but each time Sabadash was up to the task.
As the clock ticked off the final seconds of regulation, Wainwright made a game-saving stop to keep the match level and send the Islanders to back-to-back overtime matches for the first time in program history.
Similar to Friday night's overtime loss to Nicholls, the Islanders fell victim to a quick strike in the extra period. An infringement in the penalty area set up a penalty kick for SLU in the 93rd minute. Maddie Kresevic stepped up to the spot to give the hosts the victory.
"Start to finish, every player on this team believed in each other and battled for each other," added Caldwell. "I'm so proud of their effort and determination today. We will not quit. It's not in the make up of this team. They love each other, and it showed today in their character."
In addition to Wainwight's efforts in net,
Kallyn Redona and
Hannah Joseph kept the Lady Lion attack off balance throughout the match.
Madeleine Lozano made her first start since the UTRGV match on Sept. 11, playing 45 minutes in Sunday's contest.
A&M-Corpus Christi set a season high with 13 shots with nine on target. The Lady Lions tallied 19 shots, eight reaching the goal.
UPCOMING MATCH
The Islanders wrap up their three-game road swing with a trip to the Incarnate Word next Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The Islanders are 1-1-1 all-time against the Cardinals, which includes a 1-0 victory at the Dugan Soccer Stadium last year.
STAY SOCIAL
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- Go Islanders -
