COMMERCE– The No. 9 Texas A&M University-Commerce soccer team played to a 1-1 tie against Harding University on Friday in double overtime. The Lions scored a goal in the 23rd minute to tie the match but could not find the go-ahead goal.
 
The tie brings the Lions to 3-0-2 on the season. Harding goes to 0-3-2 on the season. It was the Lions' second consecutive double overtime tie.
 
The Lions will begin their conference schedule with a road match against Eastern New Mexico on Friday night. The match will be played at 8 p.m. CDT at Greyhound Stadium in Portales, N.M.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The Lions outshot Harding 34-14 in the match, including a 17-5 advantage in shots on goal. Harding had just two shots on goal in regulation.
- Sophie Haywood scored the goal for the Lions in the 23rd minute. After getting fouled in the box, she netted the penalty kick. Haywood took 11 shots, with six coming on goal.
- Leslie Campuzano took eight shots and had three shots on goal.
- Delaney Bunselmeyer and Sabrina Munguia both had two shots on goal. Kara Blasingame, Michelle Kotlik, Cora Welch and Tori Smith also had shots on goal.
- Izzy Ward, Jessika Coronado and Katie Givens also took shots.
- The Lions took 12 corner kicks in the match.
- The Lions received two yellow cards in the match.
- Caitlin Duty made four saves.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions had two early opportunities for goals. Haywood had a shot on goal in the ninth minute that was saved. Smith had a shot of her own on goal in the tenth minute that was also saved. Campuzano also had an early shot on goal that was saved.
 
While the Lions controlled the ball for much of the early going, it was Harding that got on the board first. A left-footed kick snuck past Duty and into the net in the 16th minute.
 
The lead didn't last long as Haywood scored on a penalty kick in the 23rd minute. After being fouled in the box on a corner kick, Haywood took a penalty kick and found the back of the net, tying the match at 1-1.
 
In the 28th minute, the Lions had two opportunities to take the lead. However, shots by Bunselmeyer and Haywood were both turned aside to keep the match tied. Campuzano had a shot on goal in the 34th minute and Haywood had another shot on goal in the 38th minute, but both were saved and the match was tied 1-1 headed into the second half.
 
The Lions dominated the ball in the early minutes of the second half. Bunselmeyer had a shot saved in the 48th minute. Campuzano then had two good chances. After having a shot saved in the 49th minute, Campuzano had a shot go off the cross bar in the 50th minute. The rebound was taken by Kotlik, who shot the ball high and the match remained tied.
 
After shots were saved by Harding in the 55th and 56th minute, HU had its lone shot on goal of the second half. However, Duty made the save to keep the match tied. Munguia had a shot saved in the 77th minute. Haywood looked to give the Lions the lead in the 82nd minute but again a save was made by HU. The match went into overtime.
 
HU was the aggressor in the first overtime period, posting more shots on goal in the 10-minute period than in the previous 90 minutes of regulation. However, Duty saved all three shots on goal in the period. The final shot on goal came with one second on the clock. The Lions were unable to get a shot on goal in the period and the match was still tied.
 
Haywood had a shot saved in the 102 minute. After another shot from Haywood was blocked in the final seconds of the match, Kotlik got the rebound and shot at goal. However, a save was made with two seconds on the clock and the match ended in a tie.