HUNTSVILLE -- UTSA broke open a close match with three goals in the final nine minutes to notch a 5-2 win over Sam Houston State on Sunday night as it improved to 2-0 for the third time in program history and the second time under head coach Greg Sheen.
The Roadrunners controlled the match from start to finish, as the offense constantly attacked the Bearkats (0-2) and racked up 26 shots, led by five from Kaja Skare and four apiece from Jordyn Lacy, who finished with a goal and an assist, and Olivia Nicholls.
Meanwhile, the defense was equally impressive in limiting Sam Houston State's chances with five shots allowed, including just one in the first half.
Marianne Hernandez earned her second assist of the fall when she set up sophomore Melissa Finley to put UTSA ahead 1-0 in the 16th minute. Finley took the feed from Hernandez and headed in her first collegiate goal past Bearkats keeper Anna Kaiser.
In the 37th minute, Skare recorded her third goal of the weekend when she successfully converted a penalty kick to extend the advantage to 2-0, which is where the margin stood at halftime.
Following the intermission, Sam Houston State trimmed the UTSA lead to 2-1 on Kaylee Davis' goal in the 64th minute.
However, with less than nine minutes to play the Roadrunners offense scored three goals in a four-minute stretch to put the game out of reach.
Lacy helped start the flurry in the 82nd minute with a feed to Katieann Lochte, who found the back of the net for her third goal of the season. The strike, which proved to be the game-winner, pushed the advantage to 3-1, but Sam Houston State came right back with a goal 27 seconds later that again pulled the home squad to within a point.
Much like the Bearkats had just done, Brianna Livecchi raced down the field on the ensuing kickoff and scored her first goal of the season just 19 seconds later for a 4-2 lead. Finally in the 86th minute, Lacy capped the scoring with her first collegiate goal, which was set up by Nicole Galan. The helper also was Galan's second of the campaign.
Lacy's strike put the finishing touches on a 2-0 weekend that saw he Roadrunners score nine goals, led by three apiece from Lochte and Skare.
Defensively, goalkeeper Michelle Cole improved to 2-0 this season with a scoreless first half. Freshman keeper Hannah Weisse played the final 45 minutes and made one save.
UTSA will look to stay undefeated next weekend when it heads east for a matchup at Houston Baptist (0-2) at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 28.
