The No. 19-ranked University of the Incarnate Word women's soccer team faced off against Dallas Baptist University at Gayle & Tom Benson Stadium on Thursday night in a matchup that had major implications for the battle for first place in the Heartland Conference.
Incarnate Word was tied for first place with St. Edward's University, both undefeated in conference play, and DBU was a half-game behind with a 2-1 conference mark.
So, with Thursday's game carrying extra weight, the Cardinals dominated the Lady Patriots, 3-1, and remain undefeated in conference play.
The Cardinals (8-1-2 overall, 3-0 in the Heartland) got two goals in the first half from Lianah Flores, improving her season-total to five goals. Her first goal was a low finish after a pass by Keri Dawson split the Dallas Baptist defense for a 1-0 lead.
The assist was the third of the year for Dawson.
Flores's second goal was result of a poorly-handled crossing ball by the Dallas Baptist goalkeeper that bounced off the keeper's gloves and right to the forehead of Flores, who buried the ball into the corner.
The score was 2-0 at halftime and UIW got an insurance goal off of a DBU (3-7-1, 2-2) defender that most-likely would have been a goal for a Cardinal player anyway had the Dallas Baptist player not stepped in front of the crossing pass.
Up 3-0, the Cardinals began giving their bench player valuable playing time on the field and had a momentary breakdown in the defensive backfield that was put away by Brittany Layne of Dallas Baptist.
UIW out-shot the Lady Patriots 23-9.
Now in a fight for first place with St. Edward's University, the Cardinals play host to Texas Permian Basin at 7 p.m. Saturday night at Benson Stadium.
