LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas A&M International University women's soccer put together a strong offensive performance Wednesday afternoon but came up just short in a 2-1 loss to Lubbock Christian University at the LCU Soccer & Track Complex.
Despite outshooting the Lady Chaps 18-15 and holding a 9-5 advantage in shots on goal, the Dustdevils (2-8, 2-6 Lone Star Conference) were unable to overcome a late second-half goal that secured the victory for Lubbock Christian (8-2-3, 5-1-3 LSC).
TAMIU established an attacking presence early in the contest, generating several scoring opportunities throughout the opening half. Milly Garcia tested Lubbock Christian goalkeeper Emma Wright twice in the opening 15 minutes, while Anessa Barrera nearly broke the deadlock in the 16th minute with an attempt that struck the right post.
Lubbock Christian opened the scoring in the 29th minute when Journey Curs found the back of the net off an assist from Claire Jacobson, giving the Lady Chaps a 1-0 advantage.
The Dustdevils responded just five minutes later.
In the 34th minute, Julissa Gonzalez capitalized on an attacking opportunity to net the equalizer, bringing TAMIU level at 1-1. Gonzalez's goal followed a saved attempt by Barrera as the Dustdevils continued to pressure the Lubbock Christian defense.
TAMIU maintained its offensive momentum throughout the remainder of the first half, finishing the opening 45 minutes with an 11-7 advantage in shots and seven shots on goal.
With the match tied entering the second half, both teams continued searching for the go-ahead goal.
The Dustdevils created additional opportunities through Tatiana Perez Lluis, Lisa Stoico and Barrera, while goalkeeper Patricia Perez made several key saves to keep the contest level.
However, Lubbock Christian broke through in the 79th minute when Jacobson scored off an assist from Curs, giving the Lady Chaps a 2-1 lead.
TAMIU continued battling in the closing minutes, with Garcia and Stoico registering late attempts, but the Dustdevils were unable to find a second equalizer before the final whistle.
Stoico led TAMIU with four shots, including a team-high three on goal. Garcia and Barrera each contributed four shots and two shots on goal, while Perez Lluis added four attempts.
Gonzalez provided the Dustdevils' lone goal in 48 minutes off the bench.
Defensively, Perez played all 90 minutes in goal, recording three saves. Ana Lucia Arroyo Azofeifa, Anouk Blume and Leandra Dolder also played the full 90 minutes for TAMIU.
The Dustdevils finished with advantages in total shots (18-15), shots on goal (9-5) and corner kicks (4-1), demonstrating their ability to generate offensive opportunities against a Lubbock Christian squad that entered the match with just one conference loss.
Despite the result, TAMIU's attacking effort highlighted a competitive performance on the road as the Dustdevils continue their Lone Star Conference schedule.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT:
Julissa Gonzalez provided an offensive spark off the bench, scoring TAMIU's lone goal in the 34th minute to erase an early deficit against Lubbock Christian. The Dustdevils forward made the most of her opportunity, converting her only shot of the match into a goal while contributing 48 minutes of action in a tightly contested road matchup.
Gonzalez is a sophomore forward for Texas A&M International University and is currently pursuing a degree in Biology. A native of San Antonio, TX, Julissa is the daughter of Julian and Michelle Gonzalez and was born on July 19, 2007.
