Box Score CHICKASHA, Okla. – The Wayland Baptist women's soccer team traveled to Chickasha, Okla., to take on the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in its first Sooner Athletic Conference road match of the season on Tuesday afternoon. Thanks to a dominant first half at Drover Pitch, the Pioneers prevailed, 3-1.
Unlike Friday's win over Mid-America Christian when the Pioneers (7-3, 2-0 SAC) quickly fell behind before finally taking a 2-1 lead with 11 minutes to play, WBU came out on all cylinders, scoring just a minute and a half into the match, then again four minutes later. Both of Wayland's quick strikes against USAO (1-7, 0-2) came off the foot of leading scorer
Emarie Holland.
Jessica Bell set the first score up by dribbling down the sideline and crossing the ball when she got near the corner of the pitch to
Kendall Fraley, who then got the ball out in front of the goal where Holland was waiting. She took care of the rest, adding to her school record with her 11th goal of the season and giving the Pioneers a 1-0 lead.
Holland put in her 12th goal less than four minutes later when she took a free kick roughly five yards outside the box. The senior from Burkburnett lifted the ball over USAO's block and bent the ball from right to left, finding the top, left corner of the goal.
Head coach
Shiloh Posey provided insight as to how the Pioneers were able to jump out to an early 2-0 lead.
"We talked last night about not fearing USAO, but respecting them because they're such a tough team," Posey said. "Their record does not reflect who they are. USAO is a very tough, physical team.
"The difference between today and Friday (vs. MACU) was that we had already experienced what it was like to have too many nerves. Last week we were at home and wanted to win, and we were probably too geared up. Today, the girls were ready."
Up 2-0, Wayland added some insurance halfway through the first half. In the 20
th minute, Bell made another cross to Fraley, but this time Fraley picked up her second goal of the season. The junior from Glendale, Ariz., picked up Bell's pass on the fly and made a nice header to give the Pioneers a 3-0 lead.
Some teams might just go through the motions after falling behind 3-0, but not the Drovers. USAO kept at it for the entire match, but the Pioneers responded and matched their intensity.
"Kendall scored to put us up 3-0, and from then on it was a battle," described Posey. "It has been raining in Oklahoma, and it was more hot and humid than we're used to, so the girls started to get tired. But when we went in for halftime we talked about being patient and not giving them anything easy."
Wayland was shut out in the second half, but played solid defense the remainder of the match, although USAO picked up a goal in the 77
th minute off a corner kick by Rhiannon Brewster. Ryah Vyse took Brewster's pass and headed the ball in the left side of the goal to give the Drovers their lone goal.
The Drovers had another opportunity to cut into the Pioneers' lead when the head official made a call that gave USAO an indirect kick just a few feet in front of the Pioneers' goal.
"Camille (Borneo) and one of their girls were battling for the ball in the box, and the ball went to our keeper (
Keri Myers)," explained Posey. "The official called said we made a direct pass to our keeper and they were awarded an indirect free kick.
"On their first try, Keri came out before the ball was put in play, so she was given a yellow card, but USAO missed high on their second attempt."
Wayland was able to hold off the Drover offense the remainder of the match and came away with the 3-1 win.
"Sometimes you play like you want to play but struggle like we did against MACU," said Posey. "Then you don't play quite as good of a game overall, but things just happen like you want them to. Today, our preparation met good opportunities and we were able to capitalize on them."
With the win, Wayland picked up just its second victory in 11 chances over the Drovers, and its first since 2008 when WBU won, 2-1.
"It really was a total team effort today," Posey said. "We got tired there in the second half and everyone played and contributed to some extent. I was glad to see the girls playing for each other."
Wayland, which have won back-to-back matches for the first time since winning three straight to start the season, will look to win their third in a row when the Pioneers host Oklahoma City University at 1 p.m. Sunday at J.V. Hilliard Field. OCU (4-3), have won four of its last five matches, but fell to Our Lady of the Lake 1-2 in its most recent contest. The Stars are ranked 24 in this week's Top 25 poll.
