AUSTIN – KATELYN SMITH delivered the game-winning goal with less than a minute remaining in the first half to propel the St. Edward's Hilltoppers women's soccer team to a 2-1 win over the Tampa Spartans. 

Both teams played even through most of the first half. St. Edward's KATIE FITZPATRICK and Tampa's Jalyssa Richardson each generated a pair of threatening attempts midway through the half with Fitzpatrick's second attempt stopped by a fingertips save by Tampa keeper Megan Hessel. 

Around the 30-minute mark, the soccer field suffered a power outage due to damage from the previous night's storms. The teams, however, supplied their own juice – scoring all three of the match's goals in the final 12 minutes of the opening half. 

St. Edward's struck first, getting on the scoreboard with a corner kick near the 33-minute mark. The corner was triggered from the right corner falling in near the left goalpost where a header by Fitzpatrick was blocked. In the ensuing chaos, the ball trickled out to JULIA SPIELMANN, who put the ball in off her left foot. 

Tampa responded a little under 10 minutes later, giving a quick counter and getting out in transition with a series of passes across the field punctuated by Sophie Shrader on a feed from Mimi Conquist. 

The Spartans attempted a late-half push, delivering a through ball a touch too heavy, landing into the arms of Hilltopper keeper ABBY CARLSON. Carlson punted the ball the length of the field, landing in the attacking third off one bounce. The Tampa back-row defender headed the ball in an attempt to clear but put the ball directly into the path of a sprinting Smith, who launched the golazo from 35 yards out with roughly 45 seconds remaining. 

Tampa made several valiant runs in the second half, getting nine shots and four corner kicks in the final 45 minutes, but was turned away by the Hilltoppers. 

St. Edward's improves to 4-1-1 with the win. The Hilltoppers will travel to San Antonio on Wednesday, Sept. 14, to play the LSC and I-35 rival St. Mary's Rattlers.