Box Score


 
HAMMOND – Houston Baptist's Natalie Hager broke a scoreless tie in the 84^th minute to propel the Huskies to a 1-0 win over Southeastern Louisiana Friday afternoon at the Southeastern Soccer Complex.
 
Southeastern (5-4) dropped its second straight match with the loss. Houston Baptist, a future Southland Conference rival of the Lady Lions, improved to 4-5-2 on the victory.
 
The loss spoiled Alumni Day at the Southeastern Soccer Complex. 2012 Southeastern Athletics Hall of Fame inductees Kim McNally and Kendra Oney Weber were among the group of honorees, which also included former Lady Lions Jehan Ayap, Rena Carrillo Stafford, Kristen Cason Taylor, Nina Grubisic, Nicole Helmig Dunnington, Holly Moran, Brittany Prieto, Natalie Santana, Amy Schexnayder and Kari Yost.  The returning group of alumni represented five Southland Conference championships and 19 All-Southland nods.
 
Southeastern head coach Blake Hornbuckle's current squad could've used some added firepower, as the team played without four key players on Friday.
 
“We created some opportunities today, but we have to improve our decision making as we move forward,” Hornbuckle said. “We were a little short-handed personnel wise today and it showed in our performance.”
 
Southeastern had its opportunities in the opening half, as HBU goalkeeper Shelby Horn turned away shots by seniors Karly Dagys and Kailey Mills to keep the match scoreless.
 
Freshmen Kayla Vera and Casey Peacock had two early opportunities in the second half that Horn was able to stop. Southeastern senior goalkeeper Lacey Bockhaus held strong, as HBU picked up the pressure in the latter part of the second half.
 
HBU finally broke through with just under seven minutes to play. Rebekah Tovar settled the ball in the right corner and sent in a cross on frame. Taylor Gibson flipped it on her first touch to a wide open Hager, who netted her team-high sixth goal of the season from close range.
 
HBU was able to make the lead stand. With just over two minutes left, senior Tabitha McReynolds' header off a Vera corner kick sailed just high, allowing the Huskies to secure a 1-0 victory.
 
Southeastern will close out non-conference play as well as its six-match home stand on Sunday. The Lady Lions will host in-state foe Grambling at 3 p.m. at the Southeastern Soccer Complex.