RECAP: Soccer defeats Western Kentucky in Conference USA quarterfinals
Soccer traveled to North Carolina as the second seed in the Conference USA championship tournament and beat the seventh seed, Western Kentucky University, 5-1 behind senior forward Jenna Sheely’s brace.
Coming into the game, Western Kentucky (7-9-3, 4-5-1 C-USA) gave up less than one goal per game on average and did not give up more than one goal to a C-USA opponent all season. North Texas (12-5-2, 7-2-1 C-USA), who beat the Lady Toppers 1-0 earlier in the season, came into the tournament scoring 2.37 goals this season.
The Mean Green got on the board in the 14th minute when Sheely scored on an assist from senior forward Allie Byrd. The goal was Sheely’s second goal of the season.
“I honestly went to bed last night visualizing scoring a goal,” Sheely said. “I’m really proud of our team today.”
Graduate forward Olivia Klein, who was named C-USA Player of the Year earlier in the week, scored North Texas’ second goal of the game in the 20th minute. Klein’s 10th goal of the season came off a cross from redshirt junior midfielder Taylor Tufts for her ninth assist of the season.
“I’m really proud with how well we played today,” Klein said. “We got the scoring in early, and it put us in a good position. We know we’re capable of quickly putting up goals, and I thought we showed off our depth today.”
Sheely found the back of the net again nine minutes later in the first half on an unassisted goal to complete her brace. It is the first brace of Sheely’s career and her third goal of the season. North Texas came out of the first half with a 3-0 lead. Despite the goal differential, the Lady Toppers tied the Mean Green in first-half shots with seven.
North Texas extended its lead to 4-0 early in the second half with a goal from senior forward Madi Drenowatz in the 46th minute on an assist from Sheely. Drenowatz has seven goals this season.
The Lady Toppers got on the board with a goal in the 53rd minute to bring the goal deficit back to three. Sophomore forward Kayla Meyer scored from inside the penalty box on an assist from redshirt senior midfielder Lucy Lyon for Meyer’s fourth goal of the season.
Western Kentucky forced freshman goalkeeper Dani Jacobson into three saves in each half of the match, earning her a career-high six saves in a single match. Freshman forward Summer Brown scored a goal in the 85th minute off of an assist from senior defender Victoria Altieri. The goal was Brown’s fourth of the season.
North Texas and Western Kentucky equaled each other in shots with 13 and seven on goal. The difference was Jacobson’s six saves to the Lady Topper’s two saves. The five goals North Texas scored are the most the Lady Toppers have surrendered in a match since 2006.
North Texas faces off against the sixth seed, the University of Texas-San Antonio (10-5-4, 4-3-3 C-USA), on Friday for the semifinal match of the tournament.
“I’m excited to be advancing to the semifinals and one step closer to our ultimate goal,” Klein said.
Image Source: Mean Green Sports
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