Eighty nine minutes and six seconds of creating chances finally paid off for the Fort Lewis College women’s soccer team.
Skyhawks’ freshman Renee Terrell scored her first regular-season collegiate goal with 54 seconds remaining in regulation to help her team secure a draw against Texas Woman’s University on Saturday in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Terrell received a ball off a throw-in from junior midfielder Jordan Hix in between two defenders.
“Renee was able to take off with the ball and cut inside. The goalkeeper was hesitant and stayed in her box,” FLC head coach Jimmy Hall said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “Renee was able to convert to the near post.”
That goal sent the match into overtime, but neither team could find another goal.
Terrell has shown a scoring touch already this season, as she netted the team’s lone goal in an exhibition against Division I University of New Mexico to open the preseason.
FLC (1-0-1) had taken five shots on goal before that, and Shayla Malecki previously hit the post.
“We were able to generate a lot of chances,” Hall said. “We were trying to take our chances from too far but weren’t dangerous.”
Texas Woman’s scored on a penalty kick by Natalia Diaz in the 46th minute.
Diaz also earned the penalty kick when she dribbled past two FLC defenders before being fouled.
“From our point, it looked like she kind of stepped on her foot and took her down,” Hall said. “Questionable how much contact there was. It was a foul, that’s the way it goes.”
The Skyhawks completed their first road trip of the season unbeaten after securing a 1-0 win in the season opener against Midwestern State. It positions them well in the NCAA Division II South Central Region off the bat.
FLC will stay in the South Central Region for its next set of games next weekend in Grand Junction.
The Skyhawks will face Angelo State on Thursday and Dallas Baptist on Saturday at the field of Colorado Mesa University.
“To come away from a big, long road trip with a win and a tie regionally is great,” Hall said. “I think it puts us in a very good standing with the rest of our region.”
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
