EDINBURG, Texas – The Southeastern Louisiana University women's soccer team ended with a 1-0 victory over UTRGV Sunday afternoon in its Southland Conference opener at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex.
SLU (2-4-2, 1-0 SLC) closed out its SLC opener with a win over UTRGV (3-6-1, 0-2 SLC) on the road to extend its two-match winning streak. The Lady Lions gained the upper-hand in the second half of the match as senior Emma Ramsey connected in the net for her second goal this season. Goalkeeper Kendall Curran locked down the net to help Southeastern claim its second shutout of the season with three saves.
Both teams came out to a slow start as they worked to formulate attacks, but could not maintain possession long enough to spark a threatening play. Southeastern worked to draw energy from its last win while entering conference play as its defense carried on the road. The Lady Lions' defense became aggressive midway in the first half with multiple deflections to secure counter attacks, but could not break free early in the open field.
UTRGV battled to gain momentum from its home field advantage with a series of dangerous shots around the net, but Southeastern's defense stood firm. Redshirt-sophomore Isabella Walls stepped up for SLU late in the first half with a momentous defensive effort to deflect a shot as the Vaqueros broke free. Freshmen Alexandra Knight and Aja Nelson launched shots for the Lady Lions to gain a 5-3 shot advantage in the first half.
Both teams closed out the first 45 minutes of the match scoreless as they fought to be the first on the board. Southeastern ended the first half with five shots and one save while the Vaqueros posted three shots, three saves and two corner kicks.
The Lady Lions returned with more grit to add to their physicality on the road in the early minutes of the second half. UTRGV continued to attempt to break down SLU's defensive front, but the visitors held its ground to eliminate opportunities around the net. Southeastern's aggression was rewarded as it claimed four corner kicks within the first ten minutes of the second half, but could not maintain possession to capitalize. The Vaqueros produced a counter attack midway in the second half, but the Lady Lions' defense rallied to limit opportunities.
SLU gained its edge in the 67th minute of the match as freshman Charlotte De Keukelaere threaded the needle for a solid assist to Ramsey to connect in the net. De Keukelaere recorded her first assist of the season as Ramsey claimed a 1-0 lead for Southeastern. UTRGV worked to turn the tide of momentum, but the Lady Lions controlled the remainder of the match to secure the road win.
Southeastern finished the match with its second most 12 shots and six shots on goal against the Vaqueros. SLU will return to Strawberry Stadium to welcome SFA Thursday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. The match against the Lady Lumberjacks will be streamed on ESPN+.
SLU – 1 0 – 1 - 1 (2-4-2, 1-0 SLC)
RGV – 0 0 – 0 – 0 (3-6-1, 0-2 SLC)
Scoring Summary
1. 67:56 – SLU – Emma Ramsey (2) – Assisted: Charlotte De Keukelaere
Shots – SLU 12, RGV 7
Saves – RGV 5, SLU 3
Corner Kicks – RGV 5, SLU 4
Fouls – RGV 8, SLU 7
Offsides – SLU 7, RGV 0
SCORE ONE MORE CLUB/S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the women's soccer program are encouraged to join the Score One More Club. Lion alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners. All membership fees and donations to Score One More Club are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern soccer program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Soccer, follow @LionUpSoccer and @Nathan90G on X, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and follow slusoccer on Instagram.
