The University of the Incarnate Word women's soccer team has been all over the country to start the 2010 season, making trips to Colorado and Kansas. But Thursday was the team's opportunity to play on their home turf – and they made the most of it with a 4-1 victory over University of Texas-Brownsville.
“It was nice to be home,” head coach Tina Patterson said after the contest, which had clear skies and a blazing sun bearing down on both teams.
The heat didn't stop UIW (2-1-1) from netting two goals in the first and second halves, but the high temperatures did make one thing very evident about this year's squad – the depth of the roster.
“We haven't gotten our starting 11 all on the field at the same time yet this season,” Patterson explained, “but we really have a lot of talent and depth on our team this year.”
Patterson subbed in seven players and of that group, five recorded a shot and one – freshman Kelsie Asher – scored a goal. The Cardinals' level of play didn't drop off once the bench players took the field and, in fact, the first goals of the contest weren't scored until Incarnate Word had made a change.
Sydney Solomon started things off for UIW, scoring in the 26th minute by putting her foot on a cross by Sarah Hernandez after the senior had dribbled down to the left corner, beaten a defender and arched the ball around the goalie for her charging teammate to finish.
Incarnate Word's second goal also came on the left side of the field, as Asher pressure a defender into a turnover and went streaking towards the UTB goal. The goalkeeper came charging out, but was beaten low and to the near-side post for the Cardinals' second goal.
After halftime, UIW added a third goal when Amber Gunther took advantage of a loose ball bouncing around in the Scorpions' penalty area and found the back of the net in the 61st minute.
A few minutes later, UT-Brownsville got on the board after a counter-attack forced UIW goalie Tori Puentes to come out of her penalty area. There was a collision outside the penalty area and the player went sprawling – drawing a foul and a yellow card for Puentes. The referee signaled for a penalty kick and Puentes wasn't fast enough to stop the shot as UTB got on the bard and spoiled the shutout bid.
The Cardinals, however, responded with another score before the game's final minutes, as Guenther sent a well-timed pass to Sarah Hernandez to beat the offside trap and give UIW's leading goal-scorer for the past two seasons a one-on-one with the Scorpions' keeper.
Hernandez sidestepped the sliding goalkeeper and easily put the ball in the net for the 4-1 lead, giving her a goal and an assist in the contest.
Guenther also had a goal and an assist in the game.
Up next for UIW, the Cardinals will be on the road for the rest of the month of September, not returning to Benson Stadium until October 1st. Incarnate Word will stop by and visit old Heartland Conference nemesis St, Edward's University on September 22nd at 4 p.m. in the only regular-season meeting scheduled between the two schools.
