California Baptist University
UT Rio Grande Valley
Lancers Record Eighth Shutout Over Vaqueros
10/18/2019 5:54:00 PM | Women's Soccer
RIVERSIDE --- California Baptist University collected its 11th win of the season on Friday, as the Lancers shutout the Vaqueros of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, 3-0.
CBU improves to 11-3-1 on the season and a league-best 4-1-0 in the Western Athletic Conference. UT Rio Grande Valley entered the game as one of two teams in the WAC undefeated in conference play. UTRGV falls to 8-4-2 on the season and 2-1-1 in the WAC.
"Today was the most complete and consistent 90-minute performance we've had to date," said head coach Kristen St. Clair. "UTRGV is a good team with only three losses coming into the game - two of those three from power five schools."
The Lancers were quick to assert their dominance in the early going, as Jordan Dow took a ball down the right line and played a cross into the box for Rola Badawiya. Badawiya was able to put her head on it, but the ball sailed high for the first chance of the match.
Rola Badawiya puts a good header on this cross by Jordan Dow, but the Lancers' first opportunity misses just high. #LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/OuU8p1Gc1q
— CBU Women's Soccer (@CBUwsoccer) October 18, 2019
CBU was able to settle in after its first shot, maintaining possession for the next eight minutes.
At the 13 minute mark, the Lancers were on the move and pushed the ball up the left-hand side. A shot was deflected, and the Lancers were awarded with a corner kick. Valerie Cortez put her hand in the sky and then floated a ball into the box that bounced off Amy Aquino and found Weeks on the left side. Weeks put a strong right foot through it to record her third goal of the season.
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— CBU Women's Soccer (@CBUwsoccer) October 18, 2019
Karley Weeks with a rocket of a shot after the Valerie Cortez corner kick! #LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/eTZNEGWyCh
With momentum on their side, the Lancers only needed 16 minutes to record their second goal of the match. Ari Coronado started the possession up the middle of the field and found Miranda Hald, who was wide open in the box. Hald wasted no time striking the ball with her left foot the second it met her to slide past the goalie on the right side.
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— CBU Women's Soccer (@CBUwsoccer) October 18, 2019
The Lancers are on fire after Miranda Hald puts CBU up by two! #LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/hnmbh1X76K
CBU's backline did the rest of the work to end the half, keeping the Vaqueros frustrated with their shot attempts.
The Lancers went into the break with a 2-0 lead. This marked the fourth time this season, the Lancers have scored two first-half goals (Cal Poly, CSU Bakersfield, Chicago State).
"We knew UTRGV had a strong attack, and we'd need to be sharper defensively," added St. Clair. "We certainly did that. I thought we did a fantastic job, particularly Romy and our back four. Everyone contributed to the attack. Miranda had a strong performance with two goals and came close to getting a hat-trick."
The Lancers' backline dominated the final 45 minutes of the match, as the core group of Erin Gallagher, Brodi Blomdahl, Cora Jacoby, and Elisa Soderholm set the tone for the Lancers on defense.
Each opportunity the Vaqueros found when crossing midfield was sniffed out by the Lancers and kicked back on the attacking side.
With frustration, UTRGV settled for shots well outside the box, but Romy Salvador continued to impress for the Lancers in the net.
It wasn't until the 79th minute that the Lancers were able to put the icing on the cake.
Coronado and Juliette Mollenauer-Brown set the table for the Lancers with a give-and-go pass to create some space. The Vaqueros were able to kick the ball out of the box, but Tiana Hill won a ball out of the air to keep possession for the Lancers. Coronado was back on the attack and hit a rollercoaster of a bender that missed the outstretched arms of the Vaqueros' keeper but bounced off the crossbar. The ball found its way to Kacie Dennis, who dished it off to Hald for her second goal of the game.
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— CBU Women's Soccer (@CBUwsoccer) October 18, 2019
Ari Coronado sets up the Lancers' third goal with a shot that bounces off the crossbar! Kacie Dennis finds Miranda Hald for her second goal of the game! #LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/OJQbHRaq2K
The 3-0 victory gives the Lancers their eighth shutout on the season. Since returning to the net, Salvador is 5-1 on the season with four shutouts.
"We want to focus on the aspects of the game we can control, our execution, and performance one game at a time," said St. Clair. "We now need to turn our focus to GCU on Sunday."
CBU is back on the Lancer Soccer Field on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 1 p.m. when they host Grand Canyon on senior day. Before the game, the Lancers will honor the following eight seniors: Rebecca Romero, Jordan Dow, Miranda Hald, Elisa Soderholm, Michaela Miller, Symone Mack, Vanessa Chaparro, and Camille Ramirez.
