MIDLAND, Texas – In a span of less than 12 minutes midway through the second half, the Texas Woman's offense connected on three goals en route to a shutout over Texas-Permian Basin, 3-0, Friday night.
It's the first time the Pioneers have put three goals in the back of the net in a single game all season.
"It's a great feeling to see our offense get this result," TWU head coach Babak Abouzar said. "I turned to our coaching staff after we scored the first goal and we knew we were grabbing some momentum and confidence."
After a scoreless first half that saw TWU (6-5-2, 3-2-2 Lone Star) shoot the ball 11 times, six on goal, it was freshman Riley Sutton who came off the bench with fresh legs and put the Pioneers up, 1-0, at 65:44. UTPB's defense played a high line, and Sutton took her space, dribbled through and faced the goalkeeper one on one. Sutton's goal into the low right corner was her third of the season.
After breaking the stalemate, TWU's attack continued to connect. Senior Libby Murphy played a through ball to sophomore Haley Ward who also found herself in a one on one with the Falcon keeper. Ward's initial shot was saved by the diving goalie with the rebound coming back to her. Ward put the ball right back on goal, slotting it into the left side beyond the keeper's outstretched hand at 73:41 to give TWU a 2-0 lead.
Keeping a foot on the pedal, it was Murphy and Ward again who penetrated the UTPB (1-11, 0-7 LSC) defense less than four minutes later with a give and go that ended with Ward turning and scoring from just outside the 18-yard box at 77:00.
"There wasn't much difference between the first half and the second," Abouzar said. "We were just more composed in the second and finished the chances we created."
Ward had a career night, tying her career highs for goals in a game with two and shots in a game with eight. She set a career high with six shots on goal in a game which gives her 33 for the season and ties a school record set by Chastity Hayter in 2008.
Freshman goalkeeper Jazmine Maxwell turned in her fifth clean sheet of the season, facing seven shots and making two saves.
"Our defense played really well tonight," Abouzar said. "UTPB had a couple of opportunities but we played solid defense and made things really hard on them This win gives us some confidence heading into a big game at Angelo [State] on Sunday."
The Pioneers continue on this road trip at Angelo State (7-4-2, 5-1-1 LSC) Sunday for a 1 p.m. match.
