The Bearkat women’s soccer team faced off Sunday against the Utah Valley University Wolverines, hoping to rectify their crushing 6-0 defeat at the hands of SFA on Friday night. The Bearkats won 3-2.
The game started out evenly, neither team controlling possession, and both teams playing very defensively and taking very few shots.
SHSU forward Shelby Grissett scored off a shot from 19 yards out in the 39 minute.
The Bearkats led 1-0 at halftime.
In the second half, the Wolverines came out attacking, putting more pressure on the Bearkat defense.
However, it was the Bearkats who scored first. In the 58 minute, a Utah Valley defender committed a bad foul inside the penalty box giving Sam Houston a penalty kick. Midfielder Kirby Zak took the shot and beat the goalkeeper, going high and to the left.
Then in the 80 minute, midfielder Natalie Pantel netted the ball in the upper left corner, putting the Bearkats up 3-0.
With just under two minutes remaining, a Utah Valley forward snuck the ball past keeper Jenny Pence to make it 3-1. Less than a minute later, another Utah Valley defender fired a shot past Pence, bringing the game within one point.
Fortunately the Bearkats were able to hold off the Wolverines for the remaining seconds to pull off the win.
“It was a good improvement from the way we played Friday,” said Head Coach Tom Brown. “But we need to correct some things. [Utah Valley] broke us down.”
The Bearkats look to improve their record to 7-7-2 on Friday Oct. 23 against UTSA.