COMMERCE– The 15th-ranked Texas A&M University-Commerce soccer team got its first win of the season with a 2-0 win over Florida Tech in the season's opening match. The Lions scored the go-ahead goal four minutes into the second half and added another goal six minutes later to ice the match.
 
The win brings the Lions to 1-0 on the year while FIT falls to 0-1.
 
The Lions return to action on Sunday as they face Central Oklahoma. The game will be played at 1:30 p.m. at the Lion Soccer Field. It will follow an 11 a.m. matchup with FIT facing Angelo State. The games are part of the Lion Soccer Classic, presented by Domino's, Holiday Inn Express and Best Western Plus of Greenville. Fans will receive free admission to the game with a donation to the Hurricane Harvey relief effort.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Senior Sophie Haywood scored the first goal of the game on a perfectly placed ball on a breakaway. She rifled the ball into the right side of the net. Haywood had three shots on goal in the game.
- Junior Delaney Bunselmeyer scored the insurance goal for the Lions in the ninth minute of the second half off of a corner kick assist.
- Freshman Kara Blasingame assisted on both goals for the Lions. Freshman Leslie Campuzano also had a shot on goal.
- Caitlin Duty posted a shutout, stopping all four FIT shots on goal.
- The Lions won the corner kick battle, taking seven to FIT's two.
- There was one yellow card in the game.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions had an early opportunity for a goal in the ninth minute. However, Haywood was called to be offsides. Another opportunity for Michelle Kotlik went just wide in the 15th minute.
 
Haywood had another opportunity on a juke move to get rid of her defender in the 20th minute. However, the goalkeeper rushed out of the goal and made a diving block to keep the ball out of the net.
 
FIT had two opportunities near the 30th minute but both shots were wide, keeping the game knotted at zero. The teams were evenly matched throughout the first half, with neither team absolutely dominating the ball. The game was scoreless at half time.
 
The Lions took the lead early in the second half. Blasingame placed a ball over the head of an FIT defender perfectly for Haywood and she found the back of the net, giving the Lions their first goal of the season.
 
Shortly afterward, the Lions again were on the board again. A corner kick from Blasingame was kicked in by Bunselmeyer, giving the Lions a 2-0 lead with 32 minutes left in the game.
 
The Lion defense held strong, with a couple of FIT shots making their way on goal. However, Duty turned them aside and the Lions left with the 2-0 shutout.