ROUND ROCK, Texas — Wayland Baptist women's soccer earned a 2-1 road victory over Huston-Tillotson University on Tuesday, using an early goal from Aniyah Perez and a second-half winner from Lilly Gansauge to secure the result at the Multipurpose Complex.
The Pioneers improved to 3-3-1 on the season with the victory. Wayland finished the match with a 15-11 advantage in total shots, placed 11 attempts on goal and held a 5-2 edge in corner kicks.
Wayland wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. In the seventh minute, Gansauge set up Perez on the right side, and Perez finished from close range at the 6:34 mark to give the Pioneers a 1-0 advantage. The goal was Perez's first of the season.
The Rams pulled even in the 33rd minute when an own goal at 32:07 made it 1-1. The score remained tied heading into halftime despite Wayland generating seven shots in the opening 45 minutes.
Wayland came out aggressively after the break and needed less than six minutes to regain the lead. Following a Huston-Tillotson turnover, Gansauge found the back of the net from the left side at 50:41, putting the Pioneers ahead 2-1.
From there, the Wayland defense protected the advantage for the remainder of the match. Huston-Tillotson managed only four shots in the second half, while goalkeeper María Tomás made one save after halftime and four for the match.
Gansauge played a role in both Wayland goals, finishing with a goal and an assist while putting all three of her shots on target. Perez scored on her lone shot, while Eduarda Martins recorded four attempts with two on goal. Gabriella Chapa provided a spark off the bench with three shots, all three on target.
Head Coach Alex Castaneda was pleased with his team's response after Huston-Tillotson tied the match.
"I thought we put together a very good team performance today. We created a lot of opportunities, moved the ball well, and showed good composure to respond after giving up the equalizer. I was especially pleased with the way we came out in the second half and found a way to get the winning goal. Credit to the players for their effort and mentality throughout the 90 minutes. We're continuing to build, and getting a result like this on the road is something we can be proud of."
The victory gives Wayland its second win in its last three matches and moves the Pioneers back to .500 in the win column at 3-3-1.
