LR's Offense Comes to Life in 8-0 Win Over UAPB

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LITTLE ROCK – Shannon Shields got a hat trick, Fali Garuba had two goals of her own and the Little Rock soccer offense had by far its best night of the season in an 8-0 defeat of UAPB at the Coleman Sports & Recreation Complex on Tuesday night.
 
The Trojans (4-3) also got goals from Mikayla Uyokpeyi, Quin Wilkes and Deyaris Perez as they won their 10th straight non-conference game at home and their fifth straight game against the Lions (1-4).
 
Little Rock's eight goals more than doubled its previous total on the season. The Trojans had scored five goals in the six previous games to open the year.
 
Freshmen Caitlyn Eddy and Arola Aparicio Gili picked up two assists apiece, and Shields added one of her own to lead the Trojans with seven points on the night. Shields became the first Trojan to record a hat trick since Lexus VanPelt did the same against UAPB last year.
 
The Trojans wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. Uyokpeyi got the ball rolling with a goal in the fifth minute, striking the ball from outside the 18-yard box into the top left corner of the net. Her shot came after Eddy struck a corner kick that bounced off a UAPB defender out to Uyokpeyi.
 
Eight minutes later, Garuba got her first goal of the season and 10th of her career. With the ball bouncing around between Trojans inside the penalty box, Garuba wound up with the ball at her feet. Evading one defender with a move to her left, Garuba finished from inside the six-yard box to make it a 2-0 lead.
 
Wilkes got the third goal of the night in the 23rd minute, though excellent passing led up to it. Eddy held the ball near midfield, and she launched a long pass down the left side for Shields. The junior took the ball toward the end line and fired a cross into the box for Wilkes. The sophomore brought the ball down, tapped it once and beat Lions goalie Makayla Cowles for the 3-0 advantage.
 
In the 31st minute, Garuba earned her second score of the night. This time, she benefitted from a rebound off a shot by Aparicio. She took a long through ball from the midfield and fired a shot that was saved by Cowles. But the rebound came over to the left where Garuba was waiting, and she didn't miss with her attempt to make it 4-0.
 
The score bumped up to 5-0 in the 37th minute as Shields got in on the scoring action. She got a long through ball again from Eddy – who picked up her second assist of the game – and was wide open for the shot past Cowles.
 
The Trojans got their sixth goal as Shields scored her second, giving her five total points in the contest. With just over two minutes left until halftime, Aparicio found the ball at her feet inside the penalty area. Her shot was blocked backward to Shields, and Shields finished between the legs of UAPB's goalkeeper to make it 6-0 at the break.
 
At halftime, the Trojans had 20 total shots and 14 shots on goal. The Lions had only taken one shot in the first 45 minutes, and reigning Sun Belt Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week Sara Small did not have to make a save.
 
The second half saw more control from Little Rock as the home team outshot UAPB 16-1. The Trojans also took five more corner kicks in the final 45 minutes and added two goals to their total.

The seventh goal was a beauty as Perez struck in the 74th for the first time in her career. Taking a free kick from nearly 30 yards out, Perez sailed the ball from the right side of the field to the left side of the net, knocking it off the left post and the UAPB goalie's hands before it went in.
 
The final strike came just 80 seconds later as Shields finished off her hat trick. Nifty passing through the midfield got Kayla Bell the ball at her feet. Bell fed a through ball into the box for Shields, who did not miss the opportunity to complete the hat trick.
 
Small (4-3) earned the win despite not having to make a save. Junior Sara Cavanagh played the final 45 minutes in goal and also did not have to make a save.
 
The game saw plenty of action from players who normally do not see much time. Besides Aparicio, Perez and Bell make an impact on the scoresheet off the bench, the Trojans got others involved as well. Liz Berkeley, Naomi James, Logan Strange, Sairra Tucker, Kayla Turner and Madi Motil all played at least 45 minutes on Tuesday night.
 
The Trojans stay at home this week and have another Friday off before taking on Missouri State on Sunday. The Trojans and Bears will kick off at 1 p.m. for another #CrowdColeman game.