The Bearcats would trail the Tigers 1-0 after an early goal by Saorla Miller in the 2nd minute, but would settle in and hold the Tigers to just one goal as both teams were looking to push the ball down the pitch, but the defenses were holding strong through the first 45 minutes. The Bearcats held the Tigers to 4 shots in the first half, while recording 6 of their own, but the first half was a back-and-forth battle between two very talented teams within the American Athletic Conference. The Bearcats saw junior Ellie Flower leave the contest around the 15-minute mark due to injury and that was something to keep an eye on as Flower was a dominant force to the Bearcats offense to start the season as she has scored 2 goals on the season behind Vanessa DiNardo.
Bearcats’ freshman Megan Smith with an equalizer in the 60th minute to tie this one up as she scores her third goal of the season, and the Bearcats were looking to grab some momentum here late in the second half, but the Tigers would respond immediately with a goal from Mya Jones in the 61st minute, her third goal of the season as well and the Tigers would respond quickly, and the Bearcats were faced with more adversity shortly after tying the match.
The Bearcats would push the ball down the pitch as they looked to tie this match up when Lauren Bastain would line one up from roughly 22 yards out where she snuck one by Claire Wyville after a missed save attempt finds the back of the net in the 83rd minute as the Bearcats would look to come back here at Gettler Stadium to kick off conference play.
“The whole time I was thinking not a doubt in my mind we are going to comeback, even when they scored their second goal we didn’t have to meet or anything, we got back on the line and said we are going to do this, it was very exciting,” said junior Lauren Bastain.
The Bearcats would end in a 2-2 draw despite a late comeback effort behind goals from Megan Smith (3) and Lauren Bastain (1) as the Bearcats faced a lot of adversity tonight after going down in the first 3 minutes as Saorla Miller got the Tigers on the board with a goal right away as the Bearcats would look to keep the distance close with AAC powerhouse Memphis. The Bearcats would look to take the lead in the 60th minute as Megan Smith would record here 3rd goal of the season to give the Bearcats a 2-1 lead before the Tigers would respond with a goal from Mya Jones shortly after in the 62nd minute. The Bearcats would respond in the 83rd minute as Lauren Bastain would sneak one by Claire Wyville after a failed save attempt trickles in the back of the net to tie this match up.
Anna Rexford would notch four saves on the night bringing her season total to 21 as she continues to lock down the goal for the Bearcats.
“I saw a real dominant performance a dominant display from a ninety-minute perspective I am really pleased with how the team played, how they competed, how resilient they were throughout the match. I think the mentality of the program was at the highest it’s been all year, that is what you want when you open up conference play. There is more at stake, I thought the players really rose to the challenge tonight, I think overall you have to be pleased with the display,” said Bearcats head coach Neil Stafford.
The Bearcats will be back in action next Thursday when they travel to Orlando to take on UCF as they look to remain unbeaten in conference play as they now sit 4-1-4 on the season as they look to finish out conference play strong.
