Box Score AUSTIN, Texas – St. Edward's men's soccer scored a pair of first-half goals, and
ANGEL RAMIREZ recorded five saves and broke up multiple passes into the box to preserve a 2-0 shutout victory over the Dallas Baptist University Patriots.
Dallas Baptist controlled possession early with shots on goal from Leo Larson and Ethan Michael and a pair of saves from Ramirez in the first 10 minutes.
St. Edward's defensive backs were active in set pieces early, getting a header from
IRVIN ABARCA out of a corner in the eighth minute and a shot from
PABLO ZAVALA that a DBU defender blocked. Zavala put another shot on goal in the 15th minute, stopped by DBU keeper Garrett McGee.
The Hilltoppers turned to
MASOOD PORSA and
HUNTER MERRITT off the bench in the 26th minute, and the latter delivered a long throw-in that
ARTHUR SOUZA put a header on in the box that careened off the bottom of the crossover, ending in a fruitless corner kick.
St. Edward's earned another corner a few minutes later and broke through.
TODD FULLER triggered the corner kick, which cleared the scrum in front of the net and landed with one bounce in front of
IRVIN ABARCA, who delivered the roundhouse kick into the back of the net in the 30th minute.
The Hilltoppers struck again with an insurance goal just shy of the 43rd minute when
IRVIN ABARCA delivered a long pass over the top of the DBU defense to
MASOOD PORSA, who delivered the left-footed kick on the ground past McGee for the 2-0 lead at the half.
Evan Pustejovsky tested Ramirez ten minutes into the second half to no avail. The Hilltopper goalie stopped both shots on goal after the break and finished with five saves to record St. Edward's fourth shutout win in five games.
St. Edward's improves to 7-4-4 with a 5-1-3 conference record, sitting two points ahead of Midwestern State for the second seed in the Lone Star Conference Tournament pending the latter's game against Eastern New Mexico later Saturday night.
The Hilltoppers will close out the regular season on the road at West Texas A&M. Midwestern State ends its regular season against top-seeded St. Mary's. The top two seeds in the conference earn a first-round bye, and the third and fourth seeds host a first-round game.
