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Life > Athletics > Soccer > 09/15/06
TWU AND HARDING BATTLE TO 2-2 TIE
DENTON, Texas – With a combined 57 shots in 110 minutes of action, Texas Woman’s University and Harding University battled to a 2-2 tie Friday afternoon in double overtime. It was the only the second time these two teams have met with Harding taking the previous meeting, 4-1, in 2004.
“This schedule has been a little hard with two games in three days,” Head coach Fleur Benatar said. “A tie is better than a loss although I think we were the better team.”
TWU (2-4-2, 0-0-1 LSC) had the edge in shots with 33 that included 10 shots on goal. Junior Natalie Grant led the Pioneers with nine followed by senior Emily Meinen and juniors Sue Cribbes and Christine Hornisher who each tallied four.
HU (2-2-2) recorded 24 shots with 18 shots on goal forcing TWU goalkeeper Aly Vincent, this week’s Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week, to make 16 saves.
“Aly is making some great saves. She’s solid and really coming into her game,” Benatar said. “We have a great defense too. Once again, they played so well. Sue (Cribbes), Natalie (Harrison), they just took control in the back. And Chaz (freshman Chastity Hayter) did a great job at sweeper.”
The Pioneers pounded the Lady Bison defense with 14 shots in the first half but it was the visitor who scored first. Lynsey Clissold gathered the ball from 20 yards out and sent a low hard shot into the left corner at 21:06 for the 1-0 Harding lead.
Ten and half minutes later, senior Melissa Williams collided with Vincent in the air and went off the field with a broken nose. Benatar shuffled the backline and held Harding to halftime.
“I told the team at the half that this was a repeat of when we played Harding last time,” Benatar said. “We were making an average team look good.”
The Pioneers started the second half with the same aggressive play and finally connected on two quick goals. Senior Mandy Lambert raced down the left side of the field and sent in a lofting cross which Meinen half-volleyed into the net as she ran into the box to tie the game at one at 49:18. It was Meinen’s team-leading fourth goal of the season.
TWU’s second goal came from junior Romy Luna just over two minutes later. Around the left side of the box, Hornisher sent in a shot which Luna headed in from five yards at 51:30 to put the Pioneers up, 2-1. The goal was Luna’s first this year.
Action occurred for the most part in TWU’s attacking third except for a run down the left side when Harding sent in a cross that was deflected by the defense right in front of the goal. Kellie DeAtley redirected the deflection past Vincent for the game-tying goal at 56:31.
With 12 minutes remaining in regulation, TWU almost won the game when Hornisher raced downfield and slipped past the defense to face HU goalkeeper Whitney Wash. Hornisher’s shot beat Wash’s outstretched arms but went outside the right post by mere inches.
“Our team was really getting tired and I subbed out the starters for a break,” Benatar added. “The starters started cheering on their teammates from the bench and that helped as we kept up the solid defense and kept sending the ball forward. Everyone who went into the game stepped up. Chelsea Kale has been a great spark off the bench.”
In the first overtime, TWU peppered the Harding goal with 10 shots but came up empty. There were several flurries with shots and deflections in rapid succession but none went in for the Pioneers.
In the hot and windy conditions, TWU and HU tried to set up attacking runs in the second overtime but stifled each other.
“I think the offense really connected for some great goals today and by the end, both teams were spent,” Benatar said. “I know my team is anxious to play Angelo State and is looking forward to conference. These games this past week (against UNT and Harding) have been a good build up to conference this Sunday.”
Angelo State University (5-2, 0-1) opened LSC play today with a 2-0 loss at Texas A&M-Commerce (3-4-1, 1-0). The Pioneers host the Rambelles at 1 p.m. Sunday at the UNT Recreational Sports Field.
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