TROY, Ala. – The ULM soccer program fought hard and had its opportunities, but a close 1-0 result went in Troy's favor on Thursday at the Troy Soccer Complex.
“This was an evenly played game. The difference was simply that Troy finished on one chance and we didn't finish ours,” said ULM head coach
Roberto Mazza. “Right now there's still a small window of opportunity open for us to make the conference tournament and we have to take advantage of that and come out with a lot of energy on Sunday.”
ULM (6-11-1, 1-6 SBC) remains in a tie for eighth place with UALR with three points apiece. Both squads have one game remaining. The Warhawks need a better result than the Trojans to qualify for the Sun Belt Championships since UALR holds the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The only goal of the game came in the 14th minute as Louise Cheng put in a header for Troy (8-9-0, 4-3 SBC) from the six-yard box on a cross. It was her second score of the season as she was assisted by Cecilia Thorngren.
Sophomores
Karlea Fehr and
Mariah Mitchell led the Warhawks offensively with three shots each. ULM registered 11 shots in the game and held a 2-1 edge in corner kicks.
ULM had its best stretch in the last 15 minutes of the first half as it fired four shots and held the Trojans without any. Freshman
Amanda Borstelmann almost put one in from the middle of the box but the finish went just wide.
In the second half, Fehr nearly knotted it up in the 72nd minute but the keeper was able to tip it away for a corner kick. For the game, the Warhawks held Troy to just four shots on goal and freshman goalkeeper
Holly Mallinson saved three of them. ULM did not allow a shot on goal in the second half.
The Warhawks started six freshmen, the fewest amount on the season as they went with a more experience lineup of four sophomores and junior
Cerene Arsenault. Freshman
Cameron Stoker made her 18th consecutive start as a central defender.
Stoker, Borstelmann, Arsenault, Mitchell and freshman
Whitney Tuckfield played all 90 minutes in the contest.
ULM will close out the regular season on Sunday in a 1:00 p.m. road game against South Alabama. The Warhawks will know the result they need to clinch a postseason spot since UALR plays Texas State on Friday.
