Pioneers outplay No. 19 OLLU, but come up short

Box Score


After three matches the Wayland Baptist women's soccer team remains in search of its first win of the season, but the fact that the Pioneers are winless hasn't been for a lack of trying or, at least on Thursday afternoon, a lack of shooting.
 
In their match at J.V. Hilliard Field against No. 19 Our Lady of the Lake (San Antonio), the Pioneers took 23 shots – more than twice as many as their opponent with nine – but the Saints still walked away with a 2-1 victory.
 
"I thought we completely outplayed that team pretty much all over the field," Wayland coach Shiloh Posey said. "That's what's so frustrating…when you play that well against a team that good and give yourself every chance to win, and it doesn't happen."
 
What's more, almost half of Wayland's shots – 11 – were on goal, compared to just four for the Saints (2-1).
 
"We outshot them almost 3-1, but we couldn't buy a goal today," Posey said. "We have to get better at finishing. We had six or seven good opportunities and just didn't make them pay off."
 
OLLU goalkeepers Gabriela Lopez and Madison Raines combined to record 10 saves as Raines took over for Lopez when she was injured almost 26 minutes into the match.
 
Jodian Morris, the junior transfer from Navarro College who scored the Pioneers' lone goal, was responsible for seven of Wayland's shots, including four on goal. Junior Jessica Bell got off five shots, two of which were on target. Also with two shots on-goal were seniors Haley Reiser and Kendall Fraley, while sophomore Heather Terbush had one.
 
"We have to concentrate more in front of the goal. I feel like we're taking a swing and wishing and hoping," Posey said. "We were panicky a little. We weren't calm enough to make sure the chances we had were taken care of."
 
OLLU assumed a 1-0 lead at the 17-minute mark of the first half when Teegan Luckemeyer took advantage of an open net after WBU goalkeeper Bailey Stengler collided with a Saints player and couldn't get out from beneath her.
 
After numerous close calls to knot the score, Wayland (0-2-1) finally tied it up midway through the second half when Morris took control of the ball in front of the box and shot into the lower right corner for her first goal as a Pioneer.
 
Then, with 5:18 left in the match, OLLU's Stephania Vazquez free kicked to Stephanie Diaz, who took a shot in the box into the top left corner for the game-winner.
 
It was Wayland's first match ever with OLLU.
 
"Moral victories only get us so far," Posey said. "The girls want to win; we all want to win.
 
"We're going to have to make sure as we move forward that we make the opportunities we have pay off for us."
 
Wayland's next crack at ending its slowest start to a season since 2003 comes at 11 a.m. Saturday back at Hilliard Field against Lubbock Christian. After the women, the Wayland men take the field at 1 p.m. against Our Lady of the Lake.
 
The Lady Chaparrals made their season debut on Thursday at home against University of the Southwest, a team Wayland tied 1-1 in its season-opener.
 
"It's going to be a good game…it always is," Posey said. "Even though we're not in the same conference, the rivalry (between Wayland and LCU) will always be there. It will be a good battle."
 
After two losses and a tie, Wayland posted its first victory ever over LCU last season, 2-0.

"We play early in the day, so we'll need to rest well (Friday) and go from there," Posey said. "We're going to stay after it," Posey said.