Streaking Scorpions Cruise to 9-1 Victory over Texas College
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 7:08 PM - [Women's Soccer]

A suffocating defense and an opportunistic offense were the ingredients for a Scorpion women's soccer victory in a convincing 9-1 rout over Texas College Thursday at REK Center Field.

UTB/TSC stayed in the thick of the Red River Athletic Conference race with the victory and is now 3-0-1 in league play, one-half game behind Northwood University. The Scorpions, who have won three straight since a scoreless tie with Our Lady of the Lake University, are now 6-3-2 overall.

Texas College fell to 3-7 overall and 2-3 in conference play.

"I thought we played really well," Scorpion head coach Nik Barjaktarevic said. "We were definitely happy with the results and the way we were able to finish the game. We've been struggling to find the back of the net but we came through today."

The Scorpions were playing their first home game since Sept. 5 after a string of seven straight road contests and played before a crowd of 350.

"It's always easier to play at home," Barjaktarevic said. "We react well with the crowd support."

The defensive domination was astounding. Texas College's offense crossed the midfield stripe only four times during the entire match, and managed to get off only one shot in 90 minutes.

The shot, a wind-aided high bouncer off the foot of Alejandra Lopez, bounced softly to Scorpion goalkeeper Stephanie Reid. But Reid misjudged the bounce because of the strong southerly wind and the ball trickled off her fingertips into the goal early in the second half.

Otherwise, it was an offensive show by the Scorpions, who led at halftime, 2-0. They scored seven goals in the second half.

Leah Russell had three goals for her third hat trick of the season. Jodie Hunter added two goals on penalty kicks, while Sara Di Benedetto, Linette Cuvillier, Sami Thorman and Verena Wonsikowski had one goal each. It was Thorman's first goal of the season.

Laura Carpenter was credited with two assists, while Cuvillier, Thorman and Helen Wagstaff had one assist each.

"It doesn't matter who scores, it matters that we get contributors from everybody," Barjaktarevic said. "Our three strikers had five goals and we had production off the bench. It can't come just from one or two people. Every game that we play, we're playing like we're contending for a spot in the national tournament."

The Scorpions will host Parents' Day Saturday at REK Center Field when they host Bacone College (Okla.) at 3 p.m. Saturday.

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17th-Ranked Scorpions Rally in Second Half for 3-1 Win over Texas College
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 7:00 PM - [Men's Soccer]

Witnessed by the largest crowd of the season that had supporters for both sides, UTB/TSC came from behind with three unanswered goals in a 3-1 men’s soccer win over Texas College Thursday at REK Center Field.

The win kept the Scorpions undefeated at 10-0-1 for the year and 4-0 in Red River Athletic Conference play. Texas College dropped to 4-6 overall and 3-2 in conference play.

A crowd of students who were treated to free hamburgers before the game mixed in with numerous parents of players from both sides made for a raucous crowd of 500.

Texas College boasted a roster with 17 players from the Rio Grande Valley, and Thursday's game was the closest thing to a home game for that group of Steers. They had something to cheer about after an acrobatic goal by Edgar Monroy gave Texas College a 1-0 lead with 31:01 left in the first half.

The 1-0 lead stood at halftime before the Scorpions got serious in the second half.

"It wasn't easy today," Scorpion head coach Dan Balaguero said. "The first half was extremely poor. We talked at halftime about doing things differently and changed formation for the second half."

Balaguero moved defender Brian Hardie from center back to forward, and inserted Aaron Guerrero at forward as well.

"With Hardie up front, it gives us a little more bite. I thought the second half was good. We got the job done and that's all that matters."

With the changes in position, it took the Scorpions only 10 minutes to get moving. In the 56th minute, Mario Perez scored off a rebound with an assist by Aaron Guerrero to tie the game to tie the game, 1-1.

With less than eight minutes in the game, Nestor Morales scored from close range with an assist by Perez to make it 2-1. Four minutes later, Omar Apodaca iced the game with a goal with an assist by Enrique Rivera to make it 3-1.

UTB/TSC controlled the game, getting off 24 shots, including nine on goal. The Steers had 12 shots, including five on goal. Scorpion goalkeeper Juan Gamboa played all 90 minutes and had four saves.

The Scorpions stay at home for another Homecoming Week game at 1 p.m. Saturday against Bacone College at REK Center Field.