RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech women's soccer picked up a massive win over UTSA in Ruston Thursday night to pick up three points in the conference standings by the score of 2-1.
The win gives the Techsters eight points on the year, and positions them in fourth place with four matches remaining.
LA Tech (4-7-3, 2-2-2 C-USA) got off to another fast start with a goal in the ninth minute off the right foot of
Maci Geltmeier. The goal is the quickest goal of the season for the Techsters, beating their previous 12th-minute goal in the last match.
Erin Chung was credited with her first assist of the season, while Geltmeier moved into a tie with
Sophie Fijneman for the team lead in career goals scored among active players, with seven.
Tech would concede an equalizer to UTSA (6-4-3, 1-2-2 C-USA) right before halftime in the 42' off a rebound from Deja Sandoval to send both teams knotted at 1-1 at the break.
In the 56',
Emma Jones beat her defender in the box and was pulled down from behind resulting in a foul and yellow card for the Roadrunners, resulting in a penalty kick opportunity.
Senior Captain
Josie Studer capitalized on her attempt to score her first goal of the season, and sixth of her career, to give Tech the 2-1 lead.
Multiple chances by both teams would occur over the final 30', including a breakaway chance from
Flavie Dube, whose shot was blocked, and a rebound attempt on an empty net went just wide of the right post.
UTSA answered with chances of their own putting up 21 shots on the night, including 12 on target, but a career night by Syndee Korchak,registering 11 saves, would help the Techsters preserve the win.
Korchak, who came into the match ranked No. 3 in Conference USA in saves and saves per match, now has 60 saves on the year.
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Steve Voltz…
"I don't have to tell you how big this one is. Points are so crucial in the conference and you have to take care of your home field. We were finally rewarded for our efforts. We've had moments this year where things didn't break our way, tonight they did. The key is that we have continued the process, every day, the way we train, and how we show up and fight for each other every single day.
Maci did a great job with such a quality shot and finish to get us started tonight. Emma deserves a lot of credit for forcing the call in the box, and Josie steps up and puts the PK away. Sydnee did a great job in goal as did our collective defensive group.
Our reward is a bus ride tomorrow to go play another tough conference road match for a chance to pick up another three points."
NOTABLES
• LA Tech now leads the all-time series 7-2-2 and 5-0-0 in matches played in Ruston.
• The Techsters won their 50th match at home since 2014, and are now 4-2-2 on the year at The Mack.
• Tech now sits in 4th place in the C-USA standings with eight points, two points out of third behind North Texas.
• Tech picked up their first win of the season when being out shot by their opponents.
•
Maci Geltmeier and
Josie Studer scored their first goals of the season.
Erin Chung picked up her first assist of the year.
• Studer is now a perfect 3-3 in career penalty kicks and earned her second career game-winner.
• LA Tech's goal in the night minute is their quickest goal of the season.
• Tech has scored four goals in their last three matches, which ties the best three-game stretch since the first three matches of the season.
•
Sydnee Korchak racked up a career-high 11 saves, and has 60 on the year which ranks No. 2 in C-USA.
• Fijneman played the full 90 minutes again, the 12th time in 14 matches. She has played all but 33 minutes this season.
•
Laura Ogando and
Josie Studer also played the full 90. Ogando's 10th time of the season, Studer's third time in four matches.
•
Rebecca Lancaster got the seventh start of her career and played the full 90 minutes. It was the fifth time she has done so this season and the fourth in the last five matches.
•
Erin Chung started her 40th career match.
UP NEXT
LA Tech will head back on the road for a Conference USA matchup with Middle Tennessee in Murfreesboro, Tenn. on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 1 p.m. at the Dean A. Hayes Track & Stadium.
The game can be seen on CUSATV.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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