Islanders Unbeaten Streak Comes To An End At SHSU

HUNTSVILLE, Texas - Riding high on a program-best four-match unbeaten streak, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was unable to secure a third straight win in Friday night's 2-0 loss at the hands of Sam Houston State, moving to 1-1 in Southland Conference play. 

The opening phases of the night's contest reflected what would be a night of physicality, as the Islanders and Bearkats drew six fouls combined before hitting the 12-minute mark. The Blue and Green opened up the shooting with a strike from forward Emily Keoughan along the left side of the 18. The freshman's attempt on net would skim wide however, as Keoughan finished the evening with four shots in total. The match would ramp up offensively in the latter 25 minutes of the first, with the two sides combining for 10 shots. The Bearkats would begin the scoring in the 33rd minute, with SHSU scoring leader Carlota Suarez Crespo netting her fifth tally of the year.

Taking a 1-0 deficit into the break, the Islanders entered the second in search of the equalizer, but were thwarted after a pair of shots from Brooke Erdmann and leading scorer Katie Lawrence were blocked by the home club's defense. The Bearkats would double-up their lead during the 67th minute, after sophomore Jessica Hernandez found herself free on the back door of an SHSU corner, putting HC Craig Shaw's side behind by two. 

The Blue and Green responded to the second tally with an increased attack, as the visitors pulled the trigger 12 times in the final 20 minutes of the night's match. Perhaps the Islanders' best chance of the night came off the foot of Erdmann in the 82nd. The redshirt-senior received a ball over the top of the defense in the waning minutes of competition, and while her wide angle attempt was able to beat the keeper, the ball found nothing but post and eventually reached the endline for a goal kick. 

The Islanders would make numerous attempts on net in the latter stages of the match but none would find the webbing, as the Blue and Green would be shutout for the third time this season. Forward Kaitlyn Joy recorded a match-high on the night with five shots, with all three of the Corpus Christi forwards combining for 12 attempts against the Bearkats.

• With the loss, the Islanders move to 1-1 in the Southland Conference this season. They still sit in a tie for fourth in the conference however, with six Southland sides sitting at .500
• The Islanders' shutout streak ended at just under 344 minutes, over a full 90 minutes longer than the program's previous best
• The Blue and Green has a chance to tie its highest win total in program history with a win against Stephen F. Austin this Sunday, along with beating its highest standing-point total all-time
• The Islanders have been shot-heavy over their previous three matches. The team's 20 strikes and nine shots on goal are the second-most they've had all year and the second-most they've had in the last two contests
• With 28 SOGs against UIW, PVAMU and SHSU, Corpus Christi has had more shots reach frame in the last three matches than they had the five prior contests combined

COMING UP NEXT
The Islanders continue up north to Nacogdoches for a stint with Stephen F. Austin on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Lumberjacks have won their last four matches against Corpus Christi but enter the coming contest off a 1-0 loss against Houston Baptist.

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