Pioneers rally for 'gutsy' season-opening win

Wayland Baptist battled from behind after giving up an early goal to notch a 3-2 victory over Arizona Christian in both teams' season-opener Thursday evening at Hilliard Field.

"This was a gutsy win for us. The ladies kept their composure and came from behind," Wayland coach Shiloh Posey said. "It was an entire team effort on both sides of the ball."

The Firestorm scored just 4:43 after kickoff to take a 1-0 lead, but the Pioneers logged the next three goals.

"They did a great job keeping their heads when they could have checked out or gotten upset," Posey said.

WBU's first goal came in the 36^th minute on a penalty kick by senior Bianca Roman for Wayland's first score of 2020.

Wayland took a 2-1 lead 7½ minutes into the second half when Fortune Kede, the team's top returning goal scorer from last year with six, sent the ball high into the goal from 15 yards out after an assist by Allison Alvarez-Garcia.

Just 5½ minutes after that, Roman gave the Pioneers added cushion when she took a deflected ball from Mayra Sosa and turned it into a laser-shot goal. Roman's two goals off the bench in the first game of the season matches her scoring total from all of last season.

Arizona Christian quickly answered and made it a one-score game on a penalty kick in the 59^th minute, but Wayland was able to fend off the Firestorm the final 30 minutes.

"I'm proud of the way they played for each other," Posey said. "Credit also to (assistant coaches) Jack Laurie and Alan Reyna for making suggestions that helped change the game."

After being outshot 8-4 in the first half, Wayland fired up its offense and outshot the Firestorm in the final 45, 9-4.

Freshman Victoria Paz started in goal for the Pioneers before giving way to senior Iris Nevarez in the second half. Both logged one save each.

It was the program's fourth straight season-opening win in their first-ever meeting with Arizona Christian.

Before returning to Arizona, the Firestorm travel to Goodwell, Okla., to take on Panhandle State, which also is Wayland's next opponent at 4 p.m. Oct. 16 back in The Bowl.