FT. WORTH, Texas -- Freshman Anne Metz scored the game-winner just eight minutes into the game and junior Hannah Poor collected her fourth shutout of the year as the John Brown womens soccer team (10-6-1, 6-1-1 SAC) downed Texas Wesleyan on Thursday (Oct. 29) night at Martin Field.
Junior Sara Lachance struck in the 23rd minute of play for her fourth goal of the season, adding an insurance marker for the Golden Eagles, which have now won four straight. With the victory, JBU moves to 5-1-1 all-time against the Rams (8-6-1, 3-4-1 SAC) and also pulls into a tie with Oklahoma City for second place overall in the Sooner Athletic table.
John Brown more than doubled TWU in shots, 23-10, and forced Wesleyan keeper Nikki Lockwood (8-5-1) to make 11 saves on 13 shots against. The Ram keeper also earned a caution when she took out freshman Jastin Redman as she broke towards the goal outside the box.
Poor (10-5-1) collected three saves in the clean-sheet effort, none bigger than her block in the 71st minute when a Wesleyan free kick outside the box dipped over the JBU defensive wall. Poor dove to her side to preserve the shutout in the save of the match.
“I was proud of our girls tonight,†said head coach Kathleen Paulsen. “I thought it was a solid performance and a great collective effort. We had the opportunity to either rise to the challenges of this game or not respond, and I thought we responded very well.â€
Metz opened the scoring in the 8th minute of play when freshman Aspen Robinson notched her team-leading 10th assist of the season. Robinson dribbled through the middle and as Lockwood came to meet her at the top of the box, dumped a pass off to Metz who nailed a shot from 18 yards out into the empty goal, handing the visitors a 1-0 lead. It was Metzs second game-winner of the season.
In the 23rd minute of action, Lachance finished off a low centering pass from the right flank off the foot of sophomore Samantha Weber. Lachance collected the pass and ripped an 18-yard bomb from the top right of the box into the left side of the goal past Lockwood, doubling JBUs lead to 2-0.
The rest of the match remained scoreless as the Golden Eagles sent the Rams to its third-consecutive loss.
Robinson fired a match-high nine shots towards net while TWUs Theresa Garsztecki posted six.
With an opportunity to tie for second place overall for the SAC tournament, the Golden Eagles will close the regular season on Saturday (Oct. 31) in Waxahachie, Texas, when it faces Southwestern A.G. (Texas) at 1 p.m. Inclement weather is expected to pass through the area and game official may move the time and location of the event.
