AUSTIN – After a slow-paced, scoreless first half, the St. Edward's Hilltoppers women's soccer team brought out the offensive fireworks in the second to defeat the Texas A&M International Dustdevils 3-1.
Texas A&M International opened the game executing its gameplan to near perfection, sending extra numbers into the midfield with a patient, ball-control approach. The Dustdevils worked to draw the Hilltopper defense in and spread it out, creating lanes for short runs through the midfield.
The ploy worked to limit each team to a single shot on goal in the first 45 minutes and most of both team's possessions staying in the middle of the field with the Hilltopper defense chasing the ball and the Dustdevils taking minimal advantage.
St. Edward's made adjustments at the half, utilizing its depth and playing more aggressively after the break. IZZY SINISCALCHI worked as both crowbar and scalpel off the bench, prying the defense open with her physicality and moving through it with surgical precision to break the game open with a beautiful assist and goal two minutes apart.
The Hilltoppers created the first score with a series of quick-hitting passes. SILLE LOENSTRUP hit ELENA RAMOS BANET with a back heel dump off near midfield, who delivered a through ball to ARI RAMIREZ running at full speed down the sideline.
Ramirez delivered a cross and Texas A&M International cleared it in desperation, but REAGAN DYKES got to the ball first, heading a pass to Siniscalchi on the left flank. Siniscalchi immediately led Loenstrup to the front of the net with a beautiful pass, who finished the play with a textbook slide and shot into the back of the net at the 59:17 mark.
Siniscalchi followed with an amazing run less than two minutes later, getting the ball at the edge of the Hilltoppers' attacking third and weaving through the entire defensive back line, twice splitting two defenders and finishing the play off with an electric spin move and shot for the unassisted goal.
Texas A&M International answered almost immediately with a perfectly weighted through ball from Lucia Cuadra near midfield to Alicia Martinez, who redirected the ball with one touch to Krysan St. Louis for the goal nearly 63 minutes into the contest.
St. Edward's regained it's two-goal advantage near the 77-minute mark. CAITLYN GONZALEZ delivered a gorgeous pass from near midield over the top of the defense, dropping it perfectly in a small pocket of space between two defenders for EMMA VIQUEZ for the score.
The Hilltoppers improve to 8-1-1 with the win, including 4-0 in conference play. St. Edward's will travel to Oklahoma City this weekend for a Saturday game against Oklahoma Christian University (2-4-3).
