LITTLE ROCK –
Morgan Smocovich slotted a penalty kick into the side net with 36 seconds left in the game to even the score at 2-2 and send the game into overtime. But, heartbreak struck the Trojans when Texas State would score in the second overtime of the match to win 3-2.
On a windy day at the Coleman Sports Complex, the Trojans took advantage in the first half controlling most of the first half with the winds at their backs. Little Rock's
Lillian Davis would strike first in the game after a ball popped out towards the top of box off a corner kick and Davis would volley it into the upper left corner to put the Trojans up 1-0 in the 31st minute. The Trojans would out shoot the Bobcats 8-2 in the first half but that would change after the wind would be against them in the second.
Texas State would even the score in the 60th minute as Kaylee Davis would get a ricocheted ball from a cross and find the net. Minutes later, Texas State's Kassi Hormuth would put the Bobcats on top 2-1 with a 30-yard strike that would go just over the outreached hands of
Kate Hamilton.
Tensions would run high as Little Rock would throw everything they had to get another goal and in the 90th minute, a Trojans attacker would be taken down inside the box earning a penalty.
Morgan Smocovich and her hot foot on the weekend would put it away with ease giving a glimmer of hope to the Trojans.
The first overtime proved to not be enough to separate the two, but in the 105th minute of the game, Kaylee Davis knocked in a cross to the back post where Alyssa Phelan was waiting to hit the game winning shot and leaving the Trojans pointless on the evening.
That loss was the Trojans' first loss at Coleman on the season and coming on the final home game of the year. Little Rock now has a 7-7-2 record on the year and 2-3-2 in the Sun Belt. That puts them at eight points for the conference, tied with Louisiana for the final spot in the conference tournament.
The late game penalty capped off a three-goal weekend for
Morgan Smocovich and
Lillian Davis' goal was the first of her collegiate career.
Little Rock will finish their regular season on the road in Georgia facing Georgia Southern on Friday and Georgia State on Sunday. They also have an extra opportunity to earn points as they will play their make-up game versus South Alabama on Oct. 27.
