Box Score MIAMI, Fla. ? The UALR Trojans soccer team (10-9, 5-5) defeated Florida International (3-10-3, 1-7-2) on Sunday afternoon by a 2-1 score. The win gives the Trojans the most ever wins in a single season in program history. The victory helped the Trojans clinch a spot in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in two weeks.
“We wanted to put Friday's game behind us,” said head coach Greg Hess. “We had some extenuating circumstances this road trip and our girls had to overcome a lot off the field. We played in the rain Friday and thought we'd be playing in the same conditions. By the time the game started, it was really hot on the field. We looked shaky and dehydrated in the first half, but our defense held tough. When we came back out in the second half, it was the first time I had seen our team all weekend. We outshot FIU 9-3 and had a lot of chances to score. I have to give FIU a lot of credit, though. They played a tough game coming off their first conference victory. They kept fighting. It was a really good game.”
Both teams played a scoreless first half. UALR only attempted one shot on the half compared to FIU's six. In the second half, FIU came out in the 52nd minute and the Panthers' Miriam Mercado scored off an assist from Kassandra Sorzano to put FIU ahead 1-0. The Trojans kept the pressure on FIU, though, and in the 77th minute, Trojan forward Leanne Mihelich scored her ninth goal of the season off an assist from Heather Pittman to knot up the score at one apiece. It wouldn't stay tied very long as Trojan defender Courtney Renfro scored off her own rebound to notch her second goal of the season. The goal came in the 86th minute and for the rest of the match, UALR was able to hold FIU at bay.
Trojan goalie Jane Picarelli made four saves in the winning effort. The team had nine shots in the period compared to only five shots by FIU.
The Trojans end the regular season next Friday Nov. 2 as they travel to Jonesboro, Ark. to take on Arkansas State. Match time is set for 3 pm.
