JONESBORO, Ark. – A late charge by the ULM soccer team wasn't enough, as the Warhawks dropped their third straight match, 2-1, to Arkansas State at the A-State Soccer Park Thursday afternoon.
ULM (7-3-1 overall, 1-3-1 Sun Belt Conference) outshot A-State (7-4-1, 4-1-0), 16-13, and put nine shots on goal compared to six for the Red Wolves. However, A-State's 2-0 lead was too much for the Warhawks to overcome.
A-State had the first chance, when Emma Riley's shot was stopped by ULM goalkeeper
Hailey Hillock in the sixth minute. ULM had its first chance in the 20th minute when
Taylor Henry's shot was saved by Red Wolf keeper Megan McClure. Neither team would register another shot on goal for the half as the match remained scoreless at the break.
Both teams picked up the pressure early in the second half, as A-State's Sarah Sodoma put a shot on net, but Hillock made the save in the 47th minute. One minute later, ULM's
Madi Garza had her shot stopped by McClure.
The Red Wolves broke through in the 54th minute when Emma Riales scored, knocking in the ball on the back side post off a pass from Sodoma after Hillock collided with a teammate. A-State claimed the 1-0 lead.
In the 69th minute, ULM's
Aysha Bentick's shot was saved by McClure. The Red Wolves worked quickly to the other end of the field, getting Sodoma free to fire a shot past Hillock off an assist from Riales to double the lead to 2-0.
The Warhawks answered right back. A handball by Arkansas State set up a free kick for ULM just above the 18-yard box.
Inge Konst bent a ball around the A-State wall and into the right side of the net, past McClure, to cut the deficit in half, 2-1, in the 72nd minute.
ULM had several more chances late in the match but were unable to convert the equalizer. Konst and
Theoni Zerva each picked up shots on goal shortly after the goal, but McClure was able to grab the saves.
Efi Brame was unable to slip a ball past McClure from the top of the box in the 81st minute. Zerva tried again in the 84th minute but was denied again.
A-State had a pair of chances to resume a two-goal lead, but Hillock made stops on shots by Sarah Strong and Riley in the 84th and 85th minutes, respectively.
Brame had ULM's final chance, but her shot towards the bottom left of the net was stopped by McClure in the 90th minute.
Brame led ULM with four shots, including two on goal. Konst had three shots with two on frame, while Henry had three shots with one on goal. Both of Zerva's shot attempts were on target. Strong led A-State with three shots and put one on net.
Hillock made four saves for ULM while McClure tallied eight saves for A-State.
ULM returns to Brown Stadium to open a three-match homestand at 1 p.m. Sunday against South Alabama.
