For the second time in two games,
Bianca Roman scored two goals and
Fortune Kede one, this time as they led Wayland Baptist to a 3-0 shutout victory over Oklaoma-Panhandle State on Friday afternoon at J.V. Hilliard Field.
The victory improved the Pioneer women's soccer team to 2-0 for the third time in school history and first time in seven years. Wayland was last undefeated after two matches in 2013 when it won its first three en route to a program-record 13 victories. The Pioneers also won two-in-a-row to start the 2012 season.
Friday's 3-0 victory was Wayland's most lopsided shutout since downing OPSU 10-0 last season in the Sooner Athletic Conference opener when since-graduated
Taylor Moore scored a record five goals. Friday's win doesn't count in the league standings because a handful of SAC teams are playing an abbreviated schedule this fall then playing countable conference matches next spring.
Friday's match was Wayland's first in just over two weeks since the Pioneers opened the season with a 3-2 victory over Arizona Christian. Against OPSU (1-3), which also lost to Arizona Christian 3-0, Wayland got what coach
Shiloh Posey called a "gritty" win.
"The game was physical, and we had a bit of trouble moving the ball as consistently as we wanted," Posey said. "The girls worked hard to win it back when we lost it and did a good job of immediately turning that into a counterattack."
Wayland scored its first goal in the 33
rd minute when Kede connected from 30 yards away. The senior from Ghana launched a shot to the far post just over the keeper's head for her second goal of the season.
It stayed 1-0 until Roman scored on a penalty kick in the 64
th minute. The senior from Fort Worth by way of Tyler Junior College then made it 3-0 some 6½ minutes before the final horn with an assisted ball from Ayrial Garcia that was initially stopped by the OPSU keeper before it got away and trickled in.
"It was a superb team effort all over the field with solid finishing by Bianca and Fortune. Those goals don't happen without everyone assisting that opportunity," Posey said.
Roman, with four goals, and Kede, with two, have combined to score all of WBU's goals this season.
Iris Nevarez was credited with the shutout after saving four Aggie shots on-goal. Wayland got off 11 shots total, one more than OPSU, with Kede credited with four, including three on-goal.
Posey congratulated freshman
Audilia Vargas in her first action for the Pioneers.
"Congratulations to Audi on a wonderful effort in her first collegiate game," the coach said.
Wayland was next scheduled to play its first road match of the season, but that Oct. 23 match at Texas Wesleyan was called due to a decision by TXWES related to COVID-19. That means the Pioneers will have another two weeks off before their next match against Central Christian (Kan.) on Oct. 30 back at The Bowl.
"Central Christian played a tight one with OPSU this season (the Aggies lost, 4-3), so it should be another good matchup," Posey said.
That will be Wayland's next-to-last outing this fall. The Pioneers take their only road trip Nov. 6 to Science & Arts of Oklahoma, which will wrap up the fall since a Nov. 13 match against Southwestern Christian was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns.
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