Box Score LITTLE ROCK – Despite an early 1-0 lead, the Little Rock soccer team could not hold on for a victory on Sunday afternoon.
The Trojans gave up a goal right at the end of the first half and allowed another in the second, eventually falling 2-1 to Missouri State at the Coleman Sports & Recreation Complex.
Cassie Le scored the game-winner for the Bears (4-2-1) in the 64th minute, taking a pass from Brooke Prondzinski and finishing past
Sara Small. Despite a late push and a 17-8 advantage in shots, the Trojans (4-4-0) could not get the equalizer in the final 26 minutes.
The Trojans got their goal from freshman
Jaclyn Purvine in the 13th minute, and
Fali Garuba picked up the assist on the strike.
The loss was Little Rock's first non-conference home loss in nearly two full calendar years, breaking a streak of 10 consecutive non-league wins at the Coleman Sports & Recreation Complex.
The Trojans' goal came early in the game with Purvine striking for the second time this season. A
Shannon Shields cross from the left side found Purvine's feet, and the freshman took a shot on goal that was saved by Jessica Perry. But Perry's save rebounded to the left for Garuba. Garuba nudged the ball back right for Purvine, and she slid the ball into the net to make it a 1-0 lead.
The Bears evened the score just two minutes before halftime. Taking the ball all the way down the field off a throw-in, Missouri State got the ball on the foot of Brooke Prondzinski. She cross a ball into the penalty box, and her teammate was taken down with a foul after bringing the ball down from the air. Lauren Fussell stepped up for the ensuing penalty kick, beating
Sara Small to tie the game at 1-1 in the 43rd minute.
With that momentum behind them, the Bears capitalized again in the 64th minute when a streaking Prondzinski pulled a Trojan defender onto her and away from Le. With Le now open, Prondzinski found her with a pass to the right, and Le finished with a shot across the goal to the left.
Little Rock had its chances late in the game to tie the score. A cloes-range header from
Quin Wilkes was parried away thanks to a perfect reaction save by Perry. And a
Kayla Turner blast from distance just minutes later was also batted away from goal by Perry. The Trojans had four corner kicks in the span of four minutes but could not put an opportunity away.
Besides its 17-8 edge in shots, the Trojans also led the day in corner kicks with an 8-4 margin. Missouri State's Perry had nine saves on the afternoon, and Small made two.
The Trojans hit the road for their next four consecutive games, and that road begins on Thursday at Mississippi Valley State. Little Rock and the Delta Devils will begin their game in Itta Bena, Miss., at 6 p.m.
