Photo by Roxie Gonzalez
The Lady Eagles battled in a close home game against the Newman University Lady Jets before falling 1-0 to record their eighth loss on Sept. 25.
“We’re really proud of the girls because they worked for everything that they got tonight,” Head Coach of Women’s Soccer Randall Robison said. “I thought we applied our system better than maybe we have in any game. Newman played a really good game. Both teams battled all 90 minutes. From a fan’s standpoint, I thought it was a real entertaining game to watch.”
Robison said the team wasn’t discouraged by the loss, but rather took heart at the effort put forth.
“I was real proud of our girls because of how well they played, but from that, you’d hope that you could get something from it,” Robison continued. “Obviously, we didn’t get a goal or didn’t get a result, but hopefully they can kind of build on it, because it was maybe the best that we’ve seen them play all year so far.”
Despite a five-game losing streak, sophomore Amanda Cooper said the loss to Newman is an indicator of the potential of the team.
“From the Newman game we can take away that there is still fight left in our team,” Cooper said. ”We are focused on the goal of finishing each game more successful than we began it.”
Sophomore Bailey Barron said the only choice is to move on and look ahead.
“Our coaches as well as our team are disappointed with the way our season has gone so far, but we constantly lift each other up and move on,” Barron said. “We can only get better by preparing ourselves for our next opportunity.”
Both teams are Heartland Conference members, but the game was considered a non-conference match up. The two teams will meet again Oct. 25 in Wichita, Kansas.
Newman outshot Oklahoma Christian University 17-7.
The only goal of the game came in the 33rd minute from previous Heartland conference offensive player of the year, Newman’s Maricela Ruvalcaba, who knocked in a short goal after goalkeeper Lindsey Williams deflected an attempt by Mei-Mei Senthavy.
“I thought we were unfortunate with the goal that we gave up tonight,” Robison said. “Newman did a great job by pressuring the goal but a couple of lucky bounces that go an inch the other way and we get the ball cleared easily and we may be very easily looking at a 0-0 tie. But we tell our girls all the time that luck won’t fall your way unless you put yourself in that position.”
Williams kept her play up, holding the game at 1-0 and making five more stops in the second half, raising her season total to 77 stops.
Newman goalkeeper Kayleigh Renfro also had five saves, keeping her team in the lead, holding the final score at 1-0.
Robison said the game built confidence not only for their next match up with Newman, but for their next few games.
The Lady Eagles lost 4-0 to Texas Woman’s University Tuesday, Sept. 30, extending their losing streak to nine games. The Pioneers outshot Oklahoma Christian 22-4.
Oklahoma Christian will travel to Texas on Oct. 6 to face St. Edward’s University.
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