First-place Texas State Bobcats came (9-3-4) to Roadrunner Field looking for a win Sunday. Ninety minutes of regulation and two overtimes later, they were still looking for the win.
Forward Veronica Najera got the Runners (7-9-1) rolling with a shot that bounced off the keeper’s hands and into the net 12 minutes into the first half. The Runners carried the 1-0 lead into halftime.
The first half proved to be a very physical one, with 12 fouls being called: eight coming from UTSA and four from Texas State. The fouls caused many players to end up on the ground, and most notably, a three-player collision involving two Texas State players and one UTSA player.
In the second half, the Bobcats got on the board, tying the game at one goal a piece when forward Britney Curry had a 15-yard floater over the head of Runners’ goalkeeper Nicoline Joergensen 66 minutes into the game.
Midway through the second half, forward Alli Dillon broke away from the Bobcats’ defense and was in position to put the Runners up, but was held from behind by a Texas State defender.
At the end of regulation, the score was tied at 1-1, leading to an overtime (OT) period. At the end of the first OT, the score was still tied. After a two-minute intermission, the game moved into a second OT. Neither team was able to score in the second OT, ending the game in a 1-1 tie.
“Texas State is a very good team and the best team we’ve played so far; they deserve to be tied for first place in the Southland Conference. They battled us big time. We just have to move on, and get some wins next week” Head Coach Steve Ballard said.
We need to put the tie behind us, and get two big wins next week and finish the season off strong.”
The Runners will be without midfielder Celeste Carruth Friday Oct. 31 when they take on Central Arkansas at 7:00 p.m. at Roadrunner Field due to a controversial yellow card infraction in the against Texas State. This is Carruth’s fifth yellow card, which means she will be forced to sit out one game.
UTSA closes out the season against Northwestern State on Nov. 2 at 1:00 p.m. at Roadrunner Field.
