RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's soccer team dropped a Southland Conference (SLC) match Thursday, 2-0, to the McNeese Cowgirls at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex.
The match started at a slow pace with just one shot on goal in the first 15 minutes off the foot of McNeese's
Vitoria Mitre. UTRGV sophomore goalkeeper
Mariana Amezcua snatched the direct shot with ease to record her first save. The Vaqueros had a flurry of three shots in a five-minute span, including one on goal from junior forward
Isabella Burtini which was saved by McNeese goalkeeper
Shannon Dempsey in the top left of the net. Burtini and junior forward
Rubi Ortiz had UTRGV's offense moving well through the middle third of the first half, but the Cowgirls controlled possession as the clock rolled on.
With nine minutes remaining in the half, a foul was called on McNeese (8-5-1, 3-1-1 SLC), leading to a free kick for UTRGV (4-7-1, 0-3-1 SLC) deep in the attacking third just outside of the box. The feed was headed out by the Cowgirls, but
Melany Gallegos regained possession and sent a sharp, long shot straight to Dempsey, who stood solid for the save. McNeese created three shots after the UTRGV chance, but two were off target and one was blocked in the box. The Vaqueros had the edge in corners, 2-1, but McNeese outshot UTRGV, 7-6, in the opening half.
The Cowgirls came out fast in the second half to take a 1-0 lead.
Sumayah Brown raced up the pitch and delivered a strike following a misplayed ball to the back of the net to gain the advantage for the Cowgirls. McNeese continued to create chances and put a shot on goal in the 58
th minute, but Amezcua was up for the task and recorded her third save to keep the match within reach.
UTRGV looked to have evened the match in the 81
st minute, but a challenge by McNeese resulted in an overturned goal. The Cowgirls built on that momentum and quickly put a shot on goal before extending the lead to 2-0 off a shot by
Morgan Fiedler in the 86
th minute. McNeese took control early in the second half and didn't let up, outshooting the Vaqueros 7-3 en route to the win.
Gallegos finished with a career-high tying three shots, including two on goal, as she and Burtini led the UTRGV attack. Amezcua was credited with six saves.
UTRGV's next match will be Sunday at 1 p.m. at Southeastern.
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