BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – In the first game of Sun Belt Conference play, the ULM soccer program dropped a 2-0 decision to preseason favorite WKU on Friday at the WKU Soccer Complex.
“We played really well tonight. We had some really good chances to get on the board and if we would have just finished one of those it could have totally turned around the game. If this is the way we're going to play the rest of conference season then we can surprise a lot of teams,” said ULM head coach Roberto Mazza.
The Warhawks (5-6-1, 0-1 SBC) recorded seven shots in the game, including a pair from freshman Amanda Borstelmann. Freshmen Mary Ashton Lembo, Jenna Pillon and Allie Dickson, and sophomores Mariah Mitchell and Karlea Fehr also fired shots.
WKU (3-3-4, 1-0 SBC), which received eight of the nine first place votes in the SBC Preseason Poll, scored in the 15th minute off a corner kick put in by Torrie Lange. The Lady Toppers added on in the 56th minute from a shot by Iris Dunn.
“I give WKU credit for keeping on plugging away, but I also give a lot credit to our girls for the way we fought. I am proud of the team and the way we played tonight,” said Mazza.
ULM started nine freshmen for the ninth consecutive game and 13 newcomers played in the contest. The defensive line of freshmen Cameron Stoker, Whitney Tuckfield, Dickson and junior Cerene Arsenault played the full 90 minutes. They forced eight offsides calls on WKU.
Freshman Holly Mallinson earned the start in net and made four saves in 90 minutes.
The Warhawks will be back in action on Sunday when they travel to Georgia State for a 1:00 p.m. (EST) kickoff. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
