SAN ANTONIO – For the second consecutive year, UTSA soccer (3-2-2) downed the UIW Cardinals (2-3-0) on a 1-0 result, playing the Hometown Showdown matchup again on the neutral pitch at Northeast San Antonio’s Toyota Field, home of USL professional team San Antonio FC.
The Roadrunners gave the Cardinals a healthy dose of offense in the opening period, logging an 11-3 shot advantage into the break, with Zoё May’s saved shot on goal in just the eighth minute proving to be one of UTSA’s most-promising early attempts. The Roadrunner defense kept UIW from a successful attack in the opening half, but the Cardinals weren’t as fortunate as the half wore on. In the 37th minute, Michelle Polo sent the ball to May for a long service right to a crashing Kamryn Watson, and the Baton Rouge, Louisiana freshman delivered her first career goal – sending the Roadrunners into the half with the advantage.
Right out of the break, UIW rallied some more aggressive attacks right away, but freshman goalkeeper Brilynn Mueller stood tall, making back-to-back career-first saves in the first four minutes of the second period. Although Ava Jackson spearheaded several breakaway attacks, the margin remained at a single goal through the final horn – keeping UTSA with an undefeated 3-0 record in the crosstown series.
UTSA finished the night with 22 shots to UIW’s 11 and logged its fifth shutout in seven games this year, dropping the goals-against-average to an elite 0.29 in addition to a .933 save percentage to date. Offensively, Brooke Viccars led the Roadrunners with a UTSA season-high six shots, while Brooklyn Bailey recorded four attempts.
Goals
UTSA: Kamryn Watson (37’)
UIW: None
Quoting Coach Derek Pittman
“I want to score more goals and create more opportunities moving forward. I thought we did that tonight in creating 22 shots. We’d like to see more of them be on-target, but we created 12 corners and spent a large majority of the game in the attacking third. We were much better there tonight than we have been. We’re just lacking that final piece, that final pass into a dangerous area, the final cross to be able to create a slightly better scoring or get on the end of it. Take nothing away from our team; they continue to show that they have the competitive toughness and grit to grind out a shutout and get wins. That’s going to prove very valuable and pay dividends as we get into conference play.”
Up Next
On Sunday, the Roadrunners will face East Texas A&M (formerly Texas A&M-Commerce) at Park West in the first home day game of the season, Family Day/Meep Meep Peeps Day against the Lions kicks off at 1 p.m. in the final non-conference tilt of the season.
- UTSA -