LAKE CHARLES, La. – The ULM soccer program and the McNeese State Cowgirls both had a few good chances to score, but the game ended in a 0-0 tie after a pair of overtime periods on Sunday at Cowgirl Field.
Freshman goalkeeper Samantha Moreno came up huge for the Warhawks (4-3-1) as she blocked nine shots from McNeese State (2-4-1) including a couple of goal-savers in the second half. It marked the third shutout of the season for Moreno (1-3-1) and the fifth of the year for the Warhawks.
ULM's back-line hung tough to block or alter 26 Cowgirl shots. Senior Cerene Arsenault and sophomore Allie Dickson both played 110 minutes, while sophomore Mary Ashton Lembo played 106.
“This was a game where we got mentally challenged,” said ULM head coach Roberto Mazza. “We've had a lot of players on the field for over 200 minutes in the last 48 hours. They needed to go through this because we are two weeks out from conference play and getting ourselves mentally prepared is important.”
Offensively, sophomore Jenna Pillon and junior Karlea Fehr fired three shots apiece, while Dickson took two. Lembo and sophomore Jenna Floyd also recorded a shot in the contest.
The Warhawks came out of the gate red-hot and controlled tempo early. Their best opportunity came in the first half on a fast-break for Pillon, but McNeese State goalkeeper Maggie Marks (2-3-1) made a great save. Pillon played 99 minutes in the game.
Two other ULM student-athletes played over 90 minutes including junior Kelley O'Dwyer and freshman Danielle LaFrance in the midfield who each played 94.
“It is encouraging to see this young team work hard for each other and so maturely when things don't always go as planned,” said Mazza. “Overall, it was a good performance for us to come out with a result on the road.”
The Warhawks concluded their road non-conference schedule. They will open up a four game homestand next weekend when they host Mississippi Valley State at 4:00 p.m. on Friday and Central Arkansas at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday at the ULM Soccer Complex.
Follow the ULM soccer program on twitter, @ULM_Soccer, for live in-game updates. Support the Warhawks through participating in the Athletic Foundation, you can join the ULMAF by calling 318-342-5415.
