The Optimist

Issue date: 8/29/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Brian Schmidt Senior forward Denise Morgan dribbles past Texas-Permian Basin forward Cecilia Kellar during the ACU women's soccer team first home game Tuesday.

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The ACU women's soccer team made another mark in ACU history Tuesday; it won its first home game.

The Wildcats defeated Texas-Permian Basin 3-0 after out-shooting and out-playing its second NCAA Division II opponent. ACU out-shot Texas Permian Basin 32-13 with 15 of those shots on frame. ACU is now 2-0 in its inaugural season, undefeated at home and has not conceded a goal this season.

"I'm really proud and pleased with the team we have," said head coach Casey Wilson. "It makes the first year a lot easier having a team that plays with a lot of heart."

Junior midfielder Jackie Gentile scored the first goal of the game with an assist from freshman midfielder Bree Craig in the 17th minute. Gentile brought down Craig's pass in the air from the right side of the field and put it past Falcons' goalkeeper Stephanie Ward putting ACU up 1-0.

After the half, ACU extended
its lead to 2-0 when freshman midfielder Lyndsey Womack placed a pass from freshman midfielder Courtney
Wilson in the bottom right corner of the Falcon's goal in the 67th minute. The goal was Womack's second goal of the season; Womack scored in the Wildcats' first game against Texas Wesleyan.

After taking a two-goal lead, ACU seemed to be finished
scoring until sophomore midfielder Jordan Reese capped of the victory with a blast from outside the goalie box that soared into the top right corner of the goal in the 87th minute.

Freshman goalkeeper Paige Farmer recorded her second shutout of the season after posting seven saves against the Falcons.

"It's not easy playing at two o'clock at 90 plus degrees
with thick grass," Wilson said. "They stuck it out."

Now 2-0, Wilson is pleased with his team's performance thus far, but agrees that every game his team needs to improve.

"Right now, [they're] learning from their mistakes they've made," Wilson said. He added that from now on every game they play the competition will only get tougher.

Farmer agreed that ACU has come far but still has room to improve.

"As a team, for one thing, conditioning, we need to improve on fitness," Farmer said. "I'm just surprised how well we did. We're getting better together as a team and learning each other's playing styles."

ACU's first home game attracted more than 200 fans that cheered the Wildcats
on to victory.

ACU's next game will be on the road against Saint Mary's on Friday.

E-mail Johnson at: djj04a@acu.edu

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