SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word women's soccer team picked up two statement wins to kick off the regular season. The Cardinals defeated Rice University, 2-0, on Thursday evening, and PVAMU, 7-0, on Sunday afternoon, with both games taking place at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium. The wins were head coach Jake Plant's first with UIW.
Game 1: UIW 2, RICE 0
Southland Conference Pre-Season honoree, Sierra Wannamaker got things started in the 22nd minute after the Owl goalkeeper failed to secure the ball allowing Wannamaker a point-blank shot to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.
The Cardinal defense kept the game at 1-0 until graduate student Eve Clarkson found the back of the net on a corner kick in the 56th minute to extend UIW's lead to 2-0.
Goalkeeper Makenzie Hall finished the game with a clean sheet, totaling five saves in the Cardinals' regular season opener.
Game 2: UIW 7, PVAMU 0
Once again Wannamaker kicked things off for the Cardinals, netting a goal in the 13th minute after Amaya Spearman found her to give UIW a quick 1-0 lead.
Midfielder Brianna Mata found the back of the net to extend the Cardinals lead to 2-0 in the 22nd minute.
Junior Addison Rodriguez scored her first goals of her college career in the 34th and 38th minutes to give UIW a 4-0 lead. Meredith Caviglia assisted on both goals.
In the 45th minute, the Panthers scored in their own net to extend the Cardinals lead to 5-0 entering the half.
After a quiet start to the half, Freshman Alex Knutson was assisted by Rodriguez in the 76th minute to bring the Cardinal lead to 6-0.
Caviglia put the finishing touches on the game in the 87th minute with a goal to bring the final score to 7-0.
Hall secured her second clean sheet of the week finishing with one save in the win.
FOLLOW ALONG
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