CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – An offensive affair didn't end the way the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi soccer program had hoped as Texas A&M-Commerce snatched a 3-2 decision in the Southland Conference opener Sunday at Dugan Stadium.
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A&M-Corpus Christi outshot A&M-Commerce 20-11, but the Lions were able to score the final tally in the 87th minute for the result. The Islanders also posted a 10-6 advantage in shots on goal.
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"We now realize, if we didn't realize before, it's really hard to win conference games. Everybody battles every single minute and we outshot them 20-11, but we didn't get it done today. We'll go back to the drawing board, start working again on Tuesday and all I'm asking for is a reaction to come out and take on McNeese next week," said head coach
Craig Shaw.
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The Islanders got on the board first in the second minute on a goal by sophomore
Mai-Lisa Atis. It came off a free kick as graduate
Olivia Hughes sent a ball into the box that was played by junior
Rachel Loetzer and scored by Atis into the left side for her team-leading fourth goal of the year.
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The Lions answered with a pair of goals to take a 2-1 lead. The first came at the end of the first half in the 42nd minute and the second in the 58th minute.
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A&M-Corpus Christi did not go away. The Islanders responded with a thunderous goal by freshman
Aaliyah Ramadan that was smashed off the crossbar and into the net. The play started with a long ball by junior
Emma Crump that was trapped by Atis and forwarded to Ramadan on the right side of the box. It was Ramadan's second goal of the season.
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Though, the final goal came off a corner kick by the Lions and scored by Melissa Storey.
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Junior
Megan Guy fired a team-high five shots off the bench with three on goal. Atis recorded three shots, while Ramadan, junior
Gracie Gill and freshman
Ashley Wilson all took a pair.
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Loetzer, the reigning Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week winner, logged all 90 minutes as well as Crump. Goalkeeper minutes were split evenly with by junior
Zoe Theriot and senior
Kennedy Stelling.
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The Islanders will be back at it Friday when they travel for a 7 p.m. conference game at McNeese.
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