CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Bouncing back to the winning side, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi soccer team notched the 1-0 victory over UIW Sunday at the Dr. Jack Dugan Family Soccer and Track Stadium as this time, the penalty kick from senior
Morgan Westbury was enough.
It is the second game in a row that the Islanders (6-4-5, 3-2-2 SLC) drew the foul in the box for the PK opportunity with Westbury taking and making both. While the one in Friday night's game wasn't enough, it was today as the defense also helped shut down UIW (7-7-2, 4-4 SLC) to give Westbury the game-winner.
"It was a really great effort today, the ladies got together and decided to commit to success," said head coach
Daniel Clitnovici. "After the last few results, we really needed to unite and find ways to get small rewards. Those small rewards today added up and gave us a good win. The entire staff and athletic department are really proud of the performance and the result because today we followed a really tough game plan and executed it really well. The outcome was well deserved."
The opportunity came in the 7
th minute, after junior
Mai-Lisa Atis was fouled by the UIW goalie. Just like in Friday's game, Westbury drove it hard to the left corner of the net for the early 1-0 lead. The Islanders went on to outshoot the Cardinals 14-7 but it was the defense who handled business to secure the winning result.
It is the first time the Islanders have taken a penalty kick in back-to-back games since the 2022 season (Oct. 2 against UIW, Oct. 7 against McNeese), both at home. Just like now, it was Westbury who had made those consecutive penalty goals two seasons ago.
The goal marks Westbury's 14th career goal, fifth of the season, second in a row, and seventh-ever against a league opponent. She extends her team-lead in goals and points (13) on the season. It is her first game-winning goal of the year and just the second of her career.
With her fifth goal of the year taking her to 13 points, Westbury has now broken the program records for most goals scored and most points recorded by a senior in a season.
In similar fashion, senior
Zoe Theriot also broke the program record of most shutouts in a year by a senior goalkeeper with today taking her to five. It marks her sixth win of the year in the net, also a program record by a senior goalie. Both records were being held by Kyleigh Hall in 2019, who was named SLC Goalkeeper of the Year that season.
Theriot's five shutouts ranks her first among Southland Conference goalies, with three coming in conference play which also puts her at the top of the ranks.
It marks A&M-Corpus Christi's sixth win over the Cardinals, though, UIW still holds a 7-6-2 edge in the all-time series. The Islanders have won three of the last four meetings with two of those wins now coming as shutouts.
With just three games remaining in the regular season, the Islanders are still fighting for positioning for the Southland Conference Tournament which they will be hosting Nov. 5-10. They hit the road to Nicholls and Southeastern next weekend before closing at home on Nov. 1 against UTRGV.
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