Box Score Wayland Baptist's women's soccer team bounced back from a suspect exhibition outing Saturday afternoon to post a 1-0 victory over visiting Howard Payne University on Tuesday at J.V. Hilliard Field.
Sophomore
Madison Abbott scored the game's only goal in the 51st minute following an infield foul against the Yellowjackets. Abbott's kick from 35 feet curved away from the HPU goalkeeper and found the upper-left corner.
Wayland coach
Shiloh Posey was thrilled with the play of his team, which was down four injured starters, especially after a less than stellar showing Saturday in a scrimmage against Eastern New Mexico University. Posey credited first-year assistant coach
Ayana Russell with much of the turnaround after she worked extensively with the WBU defenders on Monday.
"We had some gaps we needed to get taken care of," Posey said. "They really played as a group. Little Jordan (Nelson, a 5-foot-5 freshman from Cave Creek, Ariz.) really played her guts out today, as did the entire team. I think this was a really, really big step for the entire group, but especially for our young ones."
Pioneer goalkeeper
Courtney Chambers said the team focused on not getting down following Saturday's 5-0 loss to ENMU.
"The older girls got together and made sure nobody let (Saturday's outcome) get in their head. That can happen real easy," Chambers said. "We made sure we were prepared for this game today."
Wayland outshot Howard Payne 23-13, with seven of the Pioneers' shots on goal compared to only two for the Yellowjackets. Abbott had three shots on goal.
"Our defense played amazing today," said Chambers, a senior from Spearman. She said the hard work the Pioneers have been putting in during practices paid off. "That got us the win."
The victory keeps the Pioneers undefeated on the young season at 2-0. The contest was considered an exhibition by Howard Payne, which came into the match with an 0-0-1 record following a 1-1 double-overtime tie against Texas Wesleyan. Wayland takes on Texas Wesleyan in its next home match on Sept. 6.
The Pioneers next take the field in San Antonio at 11 a.m. Saturday against St. Mary's University before playing the University of Houston-Victoria in Belton in a doubleheader with the Wayland men beginning at noon Monday. The WBU men open their season at 7 p.m. Friday in Belton against Mary Hardin-Baylor.
