SAN ANTONIO — With the match all but won, senior midfielder Zoё May picked up a foul inside the visiting Cardinals’ penalty area, awarding the former Southland Conference rival a penalty kick with one second remaining. Junior stalwart goalkeeper Jasmine Kessler made the game-winning save to help UTSA soccer survive with a 1-0 win over Lamar University on Sunday at Park West Athletics Complex.
“I knew in my heart that they were given the [penalty kick],” Kessler said of the final moments. “I was just like, ‘I’m not going to let this ruin my clean sheet.’ I had to lock in, listen to my coaches, rely on my previous training and do my best to read the player. Ultimately, I went the right way and made the save.”
Scoreless through the 80th minute, it seemed the Roadrunners (2-1-1) were headed for their second draw in four games. A yellow card on Cardinals (0-3) assistant coach Colton Bryant gave the ‘Runners their best scoring chance of the night. By way of the players’ decision, the veteran May stepped up to take the penalty kick. May drilled the kick into the bottom corner of the net for the go-ahead score.
“I left it up to [the players],” coach Derek Pittman said after the game. “As soon as I had a good idea that [May] might call it, I brought one of our players on to talk to Zoё, and as a senior captain, I put it on her. In that situation you want your senior captain to rise up and say ‘Hey, give me the ball.’ Tonight, Zoё May did that for sure.”
May — a two-time American Athletic Conference Champion with University of Memphis — is no stranger to big moments, which fueled her confidence to step up when her team needed it the most.
“I was confident in myself and taking the shot,” May said. “I had practiced it many times. I’ve had experience in the past in high-pressure situations to take [penalty kicks], so I knew I just had to pass it in and focus on where to put it.”
The ‘Runners led in shots 17 to 10, yet trailed in shots on goal six to four. Kessler’s six saves were one short of her season high of seven, recorded against the University of Houston in the team’s season opener.
UTSA will next face Colorado State University at 8 p.m. Thursday at CSU Soccer Field.
