SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA soccer team (7-2-5, 3-0-3 AMER) cashed in a crucial and historic win in Thursday’s Homecoming 2-1 victory over visiting South Florida (6-6-1, 2-2-1 AMER). Capturing the first series victory over the Bulls, the Roadrunners extended their second-place American Conference standing as junior forward Michelle Polo put the Roadrunners up just before half and senior defender Kameron Kloza buried the insurance goal 33 minutes into the second half. With Thursday’s win, the Roadrunners extended the school-record unbeaten streak to nine games, dating back to Aug. 31.
It was an aggressive opening against one of the American’s top offensive producers, as the Roadrunners matched the Bulls’ attack while firing off three dangerous attempts in the first 20 minutes. Though South Florida started to gain some offensive steam and slow UTSA’s movement into the attacking third, freshman Brooklyn Bailey forced goalkeeper Leire Herraez Gallach in a pair of saves.
With just under 90 seconds to go in the half, goalkeeper Jasmine Kessler boomed a goal kick within range, Bailey pushed the ball forward to Polo, who beat her defender and pulled a shot on the run into the upper left corner just beyond Herraez Gallach’s reach – the second consecutive game with a goal for Polo and the program’s first score in the now-five-game series.
After holding a one-shot advantage into the break, USF came out of the half on the offensive with eight shots in the first 15 minutes, but the UTSA defense stood tall, issuing three saves and two blocks in that stretch. In the 78th minute, UTSA delivered on a set piece, as Leah Varela was the decoy off a free kick from 30 yards, with senior forward Izzy Lane arching the service into the box. Kloza won the aerial duel with a header that found the right side of the net for her first goal of the season and a 2-0 UTSA lead.
Coming down the stretch, Selma Åström netted one for the Bulls in the 83rd minute with a header from the right side, but it proved to be too little, too late. Kessler fended off just one more shot from the Bulls before the final horn locked in the 2-1 UTSA victory and another three conference points.
South Florida produced 16 second-half shots, including six on target, but the UTSA defense continued to play with grit. Kessler finished with five saves, another save came from Haley Lopez off the back line and the Roadrunners registered six blocks on the night.
Bailey led UTSA’s shooters with three attempts, two on goal and an assist, while Polo was 2-for-2 on target with the inaugural series goal.
Goals
USF: Selma Åström (83’)
UTSA: Michelle Polo (44’), Kameron Kloza (78’)
Quoting Coach Derek Pittman
“Really huge win for us, huge performance. More than anything, I’m extremely proud of our players for how they went about their preparation for tonight, how they absorbed the information in the game plan and ultimately how they went out and performed to their absolute best. To slow a team like that down and hold them to only one goal and limit them to six shots in the first half and only one on goal is huge. We knew we were going to be up against it. It was great to get the second goal and have a little bit of a cushion. A good team like that with attacking players like they have, they’re always going to keep coming, and I’m proud of our players for showing toughness and seeing out the game to get a key three points in the standings and get us even closer to solidifying our spot in the conference tournament.”
UP NEXT: The Roadrunners can breathe a little with a 10-day break ahead, but every game becomes crucial at this point in the season. UTSA next travels to fifth-place Tulsa on Sunday, Oct. 19. The next UTSA contest at Park West will be a massive showdown with the league leader, No. 8 Memphis, on the Oct. 23 Cancer Awareness and Greek Night.
- UTSA -