Southwestern gets past Women's Soccer on Sunday

IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas women's soccer team (4-11-1, 2-6-1 SCAC) fell Sunday afternoon to Southwestern University (7-7-1, 6-2-1 SCAC) in a 4-2 final. Dallas ended a two-game winning streak, as a second half comeback effort was not enough to keep the recent success going.

Southwestern University scored three times in the first half and would carry a 3-1 advantage at halftime. The Pirates had several opportunities in the opening stanza, as the guests put seven of their eight shot attempts on frame.

The first shot of the contest for the Lady Crusaders would find home though, as senior Mariah Fairbanks (Rocklin, Calif.) tied the score 1-all on a goal that came from a pass by sophomore Sydney Stirling (McLean, Va). The sequence occurred at the 28:15 minute mark.

About five minutes later, the Gold and Black took a lead that would not be relinquished as Malorie Lara found the back the back of the net to score her first of three goals in a row. Ashley Moulder would be credited with the assist. Lara was involved again at the 40:18 mark, kicking a goal that rebounded off a save from sophomore Elena Naccari (Covington, La.). Hayley Miesse fired the prior attempt that was gloved by Naccari, but Lara's one timer sailed by to lift SU to a two-goal lead at the break.

Dallas did not go quietly, as senior Abigail Weisbrod (Mesquite, Texas) connected on a successful penalty kick to cut the margin to 3-2 with just over 10 minutes to play. Both of UD's scorers would net their second goals of the campaign.

The team's finished even in shot attempts with 16 apiece, as the Lady Crusaders mounted a 13-8 advantage in the second half in that category. Dallas was outdone 11-9 in shots on goal.

With the offense playing up on a final effort, Lara would break away and beat Naccari in the closing seconds of regulation to complete the hat trick and secure the final tally on the board.

Naccari (4-11-1), who entered the game tied for first in the SCAC with 106 saves, made seven stops in this match, while playing a complete 90 minutes. Her counterpart Kylie Hunt (7-7-1) made six saves and the team also had a big deflection off freshman Samantha Deitschel's (San Antonio, Texas) header in the 66^th minute to keep the score 3-1 at the time.  

Deitschel was a perfect three-for-three in shots being on target, and Fairbanks tied a team-high three shots in the game. The senior recorded the other multiple shots on goal stat line, while sophomore Alexa Acquista (Las Vegas, Nev.), freshman Mason Cosgrove (Las Cruces, N.M.) and Weisbrod contributed multi-shot games.

For Southwestern, Lara was the difference maker, taking a game-high four shots with all landing on target and all but one counting towards her trio of goals. Megan McGrath also had a 100 percent multiple shots on goal performance with three.

Dallas would force six of its seven corners in the final 45 minutes, and displayed a 7-4 advantage in the game. Sophomore Alice Nelson (Jackson, Tenn.) kicked each of them.

UP NEXT

Dallas will head on the road one final time this regular season at Centenary College of Louisiana and Austin College next weekend. UD will play at Centenary College on October 23 at 6 p.m., and at Austin College on the 25^th with a 12 p.m. kickoff.