Lexi's Goal | Kaylee's Goal

DENTON, Texas  – Texas Woman's dominated play Friday night at Pioneer Soccer Park, sealing their first Lone Star Conference victory of the season with a 2-0 decision over Angelo State.

"We spent a lot of time this week on decision making, especially in the final third, and it was great to see that pay off," TWU head coach Babak Abouzar said. 

The Pioneers came out on the attack from the start, testing the Belles' defense with four shots in the opening 15 minutes.  Senior midfielder Libby Murphy took a pass from sophomore Haley Ward, turned and shot on goal that had to be cleared off the line by an ASU defender.
 
With less than four minutes until halftime, freshman Maddy Harper launched a shot that went just inches over the cross bar.  TWU ended the first half with eight shots to ASU's two.
 
The Pioneers started the second half with the same intensity as the offense kept barraging the Belles. TWU (4-4-1, 1-1-1 LSC) broke the stalemate at 56:19 when sophomore Lexi D'Abrosca stole the ball just across the midfield line, dribbled and hit a cannon from 40 yards out into the upper left corner of the net.  It was her first goal of the season and only the second of her career.
 
Play predominantly stayed in the Pioneers' offensive third and was supported by a solid midfield anchored by Murphy and sophomore Jazmine Navarro.
 
A second goal gave TWU the cushion it needed when junior Hannah Schneider sent a cross in from the left side which was redirected by freshman Kaylee Rekieta at 85:08 inside the box.

"[Rekieta] is a player that we've been playing in the back," Abouzar said. "This week, we felt we needed to switch things up, and my assistant Megan [Matteck] brought that to my attention and said 'hey, let's try this out.'"

Another change in the lineup that worked beautifully was putting freshman Erica Anderson, appearing in her first collegiate game, on LSC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Trenadey Scott.  Anderson stifled Scott's usually explosive play, holding her to only one shot. 

"We had Erica [Anderson], who was healthy but coming off of an injury, against Trenadey [Scott], and she did a really good job of dealing with her and limiting her opportunities," Abouzar said.

The Pioneers' offensive onslaught tallied 19 shots with eight shots on goal.  Freshman Jazmine Maxwell earned her third shutout, facing four shots from ASU (4-4-1, 2-1-0 LSC) and saving two.

"It was nice to be able to limit a team like that to just four shots, two on goal," Abouzar said. "A lot of credit goes to our back line and keeper, but just in general our whole team did a really good job of defending."

TWU had previously dropped their last three matchups against ASU with the last win coming in 2016.

"Angelo is a really quality team, always in the top of the conference, so it's a great way to start conference on our home field by getting a win," Abouzar said.

The Pioneers compete at home again Sunday against UT-Permian Basin at 1 p.m. in conference play.