SAN ANTONIO — Junior Kaja Skare scored her team-high seventh goal of the season to help UTSA shutout Conference USA-leading North Texas, 3-0, on Sunday afternoon at Park West Athletics Complex.
Freshman goalie Hannah Weisse and sophomore netminder Isabella Sanchez combined to record five saves for the Roadrunners (6-8, 2-3 C-USA), who picked up their first shutout of the campaign and notched their first win over the Mean Green (9-4-1, 4-1 C-USA) since 2008. The UTSA defense limited North Texas to 11 shots, five of which came in the second half.
North Texas, which received votes in the last National Soccer Coaches Association of America Top 25 poll, applied pressure early and had scoring opportunities with three corner kicks and three shots in the opening 14 minutes.
However, it was UTSA that found the back of the net on its first shot of the match. Following a save in the 14th minute, Weisse booted the ball down the field where senior Brianna Livecchi took possession before she rifled a shot past Mean Green goalie Miranda Schoening for her fourth goal of the season and the 1-0 advantage.
The Roadrunners would take eight more shots in the half, but went to intermission with the 1-0 lead.
Sanchez entered the match in the second half for UTSA and the Austin native picked up a pair of saves in the first 20 minutes of the period.
The teams traded shots during the start of the half, but the Roadrunners broke through and doubled their lead in the 69th minute. Sophomore Channing Machen served a corner kick to the near post and fellow sophomore Olivia Nicholls was there for a header that pushed the cushion to 2-0. The goal was Nicholls' second of the fall, while Machen picked up her fourth assist to tie for tops on the squad.
With the two-goal lead, the Roadrunners defense continued to limit scoring chances for the Mean Green, who managed just two shots in the final 20 minutes.
Skare then put the match away in the 82nd minute, when she converted a penalty kick after North Texas was whistled for a handball in the box. The goal was her seventh of the fall and first during C-USA action.
From there, UTSA was able to run out the clock and come away with the 3-0 victory.
The Roadrunners will return to the pitch for an 8 p.m. (CT) matchup at UTEP (9-4-2, 2-3 C-USA) on Friday, Oct. 14.
