EL PASO, Texas – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi soccer team couldn't get its offense going on the road as UTEP used a strong second-half to take it 3-0 Thursday Night at University Field.
The Islanders (1-2-2) stayed evenly matched with the Miners (2-1-2) through the first 45 minutes, both teams keeping each other at bay as they were separated by just a one-shot difference. However, UTEP got comfortable on its home field and cut through the silence with a trio of goals within a 15-minute period in the second half to finish on top.
"Tonight was a game of two halves, we had a strong first half showing and dominated large parts but for about 10 minutes in the second half, we didn't raise to the challenge that UTEP gave us," said head coach
Daniel Clitnovici. "Games like this make us stronger and we need to accept that tonight just didn't get to the level we wanted."
Four of A&M-Corpus Christi's five total shots on the night all came within the first half, as freshman
Cilia Leal, who scored the first goal of the season for the Islanders, was the lone shooter in the second half. Hers came at the 50
th minute off a free kick but was hooked out the top right to miss the target.
All the other shot takers fired in the first, with shots coming from junior
Emma Bates, sophomore
Ashley Wilson, sophomore
Emmie Barton, and senior
Morgan Westbury.
Senior
Zoe Theriot, a two-time SLC Goalkeeper of the Week, played 76 minutes in the net and made a pair of saves on the night. Freshman
Samantha Rank then made her college debut, playing the final 14 minutes at goalie.
It was the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
"We needed to be better in the possession side of the game and although we have had some improvements over the last few games, we just didn't complete a full 90 minutes tonight and we paid the price," said Clitnovici.
The Islanders will now return home to familiar turf, set to play their fifth home contest of the season on Sunday when they host Prairie View A&M. The game is set for 1 p.m. with a special Senior Day recognition scheduled pregame at the Dr. Jack Dugan Family Soccer and Track Stadium.
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