By Alan Wiederhold-Sohn
HT Athletic Communications
GEORGETOWN, Texas – Huston-Tillotson University's women's soccer team was denied a win and three points in the Red River Athletic Conference standings by Southwest (N.M.), but the Rams did salvage a 2-2 draw in Saturday's match.
At the Georgetown Soccer Association Complex,
Alondra Quiroz (Austin, Texas / Connally) gave the Rams a two-goal lead in the 70th minute when she put back a strike off Southwest goalkeeper Elena Moya's save of
Cheyanna Burnett-Griffith's initial chance. The goal was Quiroz' third of the season.
America Macias (Houston, Texas / North Shore) had put the Rams ahead only minutes before with a successful penalty kick in the 68th minute.
Trailing 2-0 with less than 20 minutes remaining, the visiting Mustangs took control of the match's pace and unleased a fusillade of shots on the HT goal. Anita Alcantar and her teammates got past the HT defense and Alcantar delivered a goal from close range in the 78th minute.
The Mustangs tied the match in the 86th minute when Maureen Camacho's header off Rylee Thatcher's corner kick found the back of the net. It was Thatcher's second assist of the match.
Southwest outshot the Rams 21-14 and held a 14-6 advantage in shots on goal. HT's freshman goalkeeper Juliet Morales-Martinez (Burnet, Texas / Burnet) gave an excellent showing in goal as she made career-high 11 saves. Her 11 saves marked the first time this season an HT goalkeeper made 10 or stops in a match.
The Rams had other chances for goals that came up just short. USW starting goalkeeper Kristina Simpson denied Sarah de Jesus (Buda, Texas / Johnson) the first goal of the match in the seventh minute with a great save from a shot near the goal box.
Barely two minutes before she converted her penalty kick in the second half, Macias had a strike from the left wing sail a bit high to conclude a chance that saw the Rams with a multi-player in advantage in the penalty area.
Morales-Martinez and Simpson were each credited with ties on their goalkeeper season records.
The Rams return to action Thursday, Oct. 17, and Saturday, Oct. 19, when they head to Rapides Parish, La., for matches at Louisiana Christian and LSU–Alexandria. The Rams face LCU Thursday with kickoff scheduled for 5 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium on campus.
– HT –
