SAN ANTONIO — UTSA opened play at Park West Athletics Complex in style, as freshman Jordyn Lacy scored a pair of goals to lead the Roadrunners to a 6-1 victory against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the team's home opener on Friday night.
The Roadrunners (3-1) piled up a season-best 30 shots en route to their highest scoring total since a 7-0 win against Prairie View A&M on Sept. 16, 2011. Meanwhile, the UTSA defense kept the Islanders (0-5) offense silent for most of the night with just three shots allowed.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi struck first in the opening minute of the match. The Islanders dribbled down the sideline and, after a pair of passes, Chayse Bauer found the back of the net for a quick 1-0 lead.
However, it was all Roadrunners from that point. UTSA controlled the ball for most of the night and constantly put pressure on the Islanders defense, including nine corner kicks in the first half.
The home squad broke through with the equalizer in the 23rd minute when sophomore Channing Machen rifled a shot that hit the bottom of the crossbar. Fellow sophomore Olivia Nicholls raced in to collect the rebound and push a shot past goalie Jordan Wainwright for her first goal of the season.
UTSA then took the lead for good just four minutes later as Machen found Lacy for a shot about 10 yards out that found the back of the net for a 2-1 advantage. The cushion grew to 3-1 in the 35th minute following a perfect corner kick by freshman Camrynne Hoover that was headed in by redshirt freshman Nicole Galan. The strike was the first collegiate goal for the San Antonio native and it gave UTSA a two-goal lead heading to intermission.
The second half was more of the same for the Roadrunners, who finished with 16 shots over the final 45 minutes.
In the 49th minute, freshman Marianne Hernandez boomed a shot from about 35 yards out that sailed over relief goalie Tatum Hightower and into the back of the net for her first goal of the fall. Five minutes later, Lacy was fouled in the box and converted a penalty kick to notch her third goal of the campaign and push the lead to 5-1.
Machen then collected her second assist of the night as she, along with senior Brianna Livecchi, found senior Lauren Hodgdon for the final goal of the contest. The goal, which came in the 72nd minute, was the first of the season and the third of Hodgdon's career.
The Islanders managed just one shot in the second half and the visitors could only watch as the final seconds ticked away on the 6-1 UTSA victory.
Isabella Sanchez and Michelle Cole split time in goal, with each playing a half. Sanchez took the victory and improved to 1-1 on the season.
UTSA will be back in action on Sunday, Sept. 4, when it travels to Nacogdoches for a 6 p.m. matchup at Stephen F. Austin (0-2).
