BETHANY, Okla. – A strong offense and unyielding control of the ball powered Texas Woman's to a 2-1 victory over Southern Nazarene University Thursday evening in a non-conference matchup.

The Pioneers (2-1) played a ferocious offense, racking up a season-high 22 shots to the Crimson Storm's five, including eight shots on goal. Fouls added up as well as the two teams fought for pace of the game, neither managing to secure a goal in the first half.

"We started off really strong this game, creating some good opportunities, good chances," TWU head coach Babak Abouzar said.

The second half started with even greater ferocity, with multiple battles around each goal.  TWU sophomore forward Haley Ward kept her patience, however, and with some careful footwork around her defender, she put the Pioneers on the board with her second goal of the season at 56:58. Ward's shot bent past SNU keeper Ashlynn Pritchett into the left side of the goal.  

The Pioneers kept attacking and created multiple chances with balls rolling across the crease but not finding that finishing shot. Freshman forward Riley Sutton was able to extend the Pioneers' lead when she hammered home her second goal of the season at 68.13 to make it 2-0.

 "We regrouped at halftime and made a few adjustments and fine-tuned some things, and I think those two goals were a product of that," Abouzar added.

Despite a strong lead and deft give and go between Ward and senior midfielder Libby Murphy, momentum wavered after the Pioneers' second goal, and SNU's Rebekah Abrego scored off a corner kick with a little over ten minutes remaining to cut TWU's lead to 2-1. 

Tensions remained high as the Storm (1-2) pushed hard against the Pioneers in the waning moments of regulation, but TWU prevailed to seal the victory and improve to 2-1.

TWU's next game is at home on Saturday, Sept. 8, at 7 p.m. when they take on Dallas Baptist (0-2-1) at Pioneer Soccer Park.