Sept. 15, 2009

Box Score

RUSTON, La. - The Lady Techster soccer team remained undefeated and picked up their eighth win of the season Tuesday afternoon at Joe Aillet Stadium, shutting out the Grambling State Tigers (1-5-0) by a score of 2-0.

Tech (8-0-0) is now one of only 10 teams in the country with an unblemished mark on the season and the team's eight straight win extends the school record winning streak.

The Techsters struck early as a Grambling foul in the box allowed Tech a penalty shot in the 15th minute. Senior Kat McCullough took the shot for the Techsters and capitalized on the opportunity by slipping the ball into the left side of the net with the Grambling goal keeper guessing she would go right for her second goal of the season.

Just before the half Tech would add another goal in the 42nd minute after Grambling's goal keeper deflected an Abbie Lever shot into the center of the box and Tech's Rachel King was on the spot to collect the ball and put it into the back of the net from 10 yards out. The goal marked King's 10th of the season making her the Tech record holder for goals in a season. The mark tops Emily Cleveland's number of nine goals in the 2005 season.

"It was far from our best performance of the year," Tech head coach Kevin Sherry said. "However, the sign of a good team is having the ability to come out with the win in these games and we're always happy with a win. We've been on a high since the start of the year with our play and we knew at some point it was going to dip and today it was that dip in play so we need to address that problem to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Louisiana Tech would have its chances in the second half, totaling 13 shots in the half, compared to Grambling's three, only to see them all turned away by Grambling goalie Cherie Silas and the Grambling defense. The Techsters kept Silas busy all afternoon as the Tiger's goalie recorded 13 saves on 25 shots.

Although Tech goal keeper Cat Buchanan was never really tested on the afternoon, recording just one save on five shots, the Tech back line was tested by a number of dangerous Grambling runs. However, the defense held strong to preserve the shutout.

"Grambling is a very dangerous team," Sherry said. "They out hustled us, out worked us and their offense was more dangerous than ours today so we hope that we can learn from that and pick it up on Friday. It was a tough game although the shot count doesn't really reflect how close it was, but regardless we are very happy with the win."

Tech will be back in action Friday when they travel to Itta Bena, Miss. to battle Mississippi Valley State at 7:00 p.m.