SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word women's soccer team recorded a historic victory on Sunday afternoon when they defeated visiting Prairie View A&M, 3-1 in the season opener at Benson Stadium. (Box Score)

The victory was not only the first for the UIW women's soccer program at the NCAA Division I level, it was the first win by any UIW program since joining Division I and the Southland Conference this summer.

The Cardinals (1-0) dispatched the Panthers (0-2) with relative ease and threatened to score on numerous occasions.  They peppered the Prairie View goalkeepers with a total of 24 shots, including 14 on goal.  Meanwhile, the Panthers managed a total of five shots in the match.

"I am really excited to get the first win of the season," said UIW head coach Tina Patterson.  "The fact that it comes at the Division I level makes it a bit more special."

UIW used their speed advantage to create the majority of their opportunities.  In the early going, senior forward Katie Miller (Tyler/Tyler Junior College) created a number of problems for the Panthers.  Miller attempted three shots and earned a corner kick within the first 18 minutes of the game and forced Prairie View's Dominique Dillon to make a pair of saves.

Despite controlling the run of play for the majority of the first half, the Cardinals nearly fell behind the Panthers in the 42nd minute when Angie Guillory's shot hit the crossbar and bounced over the top of the net.  UIW was able to get on the board right before the end of the first half when Miller sent a through pass over the top to Sydney Solomon (Schertz/Randolph HS) who was able to corral the ball and slot it past a diving Dillon with only 25 seconds left on the clock.

The goal right before halftime seemed to give the Cardinals a little momentum as they started the second half.  Less than five minutes into the half, the Cardinals used a counter attack to take a 2-0 lead.  Forward Sarah Flores (Harlingen/South HS) was passed the ball on the right wing nearly 40 yards from the goal and she dribbled toward the middle of the field before getting past the defender and scoring from 12 yards out at 49:59.

It looked like the Cardinals might blow out the Panthers, but Prairie View pulled back to within one goal when Celene Batrez headed home a goal off a corner kick opportunity at 53:56.  The initial corner kick was headed by a UIW defender, but it went right to Batrez in front of the right side of the goal and she made the chance count.

The Cardinals made it 3-1 just before the hour mark when Flores made a strong move inside the box and toe poked a shot that was going wide, but was accidently kicked into the goal by a Panther defender for an own goal.

Flores and Miller each led the Cardinals with six shots while Miller put four shots on goal.  Sophomore goalkeeper Heather Kowalik (Boerne/Champion HS) recorded a pair of saves in earning the victory.

The Panthers played two goalkeepers in the match.  Dillon started the match and made three saves in 45 minutes.  Sierra Golding played the second half and made eight saves.

The Cardinals are back in action on Thursday night at home against Texas A&M-International at 7 p.m.
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