STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State Soccer has everything clicking at the perfect time.
The Texans (7-3-7, 5-1-2 UAC) used a four-goal first half to pummel Little Rock (4-6-5, 2-2-4 UAC) 4-0 on Sunday afternoon at the Tarleton State Soccer Complex in Stephenville, Texas. Needing a win to clinch a spot in the UAC Women's Soccer Championship on Sunday, the Texans did so with ease, and now have the most points among all UAC teams with two regular season matches to play.
The eight-team United Athletic Conference is split into two divisions, the Red Division and the Blue Division. Tarleton State and Little Rock are both in the Red Division. The top three teams from each division make the conference tournament, and now with Tarleton State at 17 points and Little Rock at 10 points, the Trojans can't surpass the Purple and White, thus the Texans have punched their ticket. The Texans lead the division at 17 points, now one point ahead of Abilene Chrisitan (16 points) and three points ahead of Central Arkansas (14 points). The Blue Division is led by Eastern Kentucky at 14 points, followed by North Alabama at 11 points, Austin Peay at four points and West Georgia at one point.
Tarleton State's first half on Sunday was as dominant as one team could be in collegiate soccer. The Texans blanked the Trojans 4-0 in the first 42 minutes, and didn't allow a single shot by Little Rock throughout the first 45. The Texans outshot the Trojans 12-0 in the first half and 19-12 overall on the match, with 10 shots on goal to Little Rock's three.
The Texans' top two goal scorers on the season each had a pair of goals on Sunday.
Jessica Baires scored twice to reach 10 goals on the season, and added an assist for a five-point match.
Zahra Friess also scored twice to reach nine goals on the year, and also added an assist for a five-point match herself.
Grace Berry and
Adelaide Wyrzynski each had assists, as well.
Baires made the statement early for the Texans, scoring the match's opening goal in the fifth minute on an assist from Wyrzynski. Friess scored her first goal in the 17th minute, assist to Berry, then followed up less than four minutes later with another goal, this time assist to Baires. At the 42:00 mark, Baires scored her second goal, assist to Friess.
Friess had three shots on goal in the match, the most on the team. Baires had a pair of shots on goal, as did Wyrzynski and
Peyton Bryant. Wyrzynski and
Naomi Langille had the most shots on the Texans with four apiece.
Goalkeeper
Rylie Bloomfield achieved the shutout victory with three saves, playing all 90 minutes. Bloomfield hasn't allowed a goal since Oct. 11, recording two shutouts and part of Tarleton State's team shutout last week with 67 minutes played in the box.
Tarleton State has three straight wins and has a 4-0-1 record over the past five. The Texans have 10 goals over their past three matches to no goals allowed, and have 36 goals on the season, their most in a single-season in program history. They are averaging 2.1 goals per match on the year.
Tarleton State has two regular season matches remaining, both this upcoming week. The Texans will play their road regular season finale on Thursday at Abilene Christian at 7 p.m. If Tarleton State wins that match, the Texans could clinch the No. 1 seed in the Red Division and a bye in the UAC Women's Soccer Championship, which would automatically advance them to the semifinals. On Sunday, Nov. 1, Tarleton State will play its regular season finale at home against Central Arkansas at 1 p.m. It will be Senior Day in Stephenville, as the Texans celebrate their seniors.
