CORPUS CHRISTI – For the second time in three years, the East Texas A&M University soccer team will play for a Southland Tournament Championship after upsetting the second-seeded Texas A&M Corpus Christi Islanders on their home turf via a score of 2-1 on Thursday night at Dr. Jack Duggan Soccer and Track Stadium.
Neither side scored in the first half, the Lions drew first blood with a goal, but back came the Islanders to tie the match just seven minutes later.
Savannah Powell (Arlington – Martin) put the Lions ahead in the 68
th minute and booked a ticket to the SLC Tournament Championship match.
The Lions, who are the third seed in this season's tournament, will now face top-seeded and regular season conference champion SFA on Sunday for the SLC Tournament Championship Match on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Regardless of Sunday's result, due to East Texas A&M still being in NCAA Transition, SFA has won the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament as the regular season champion.
East Texas A&M returns to the SLC Tournament Championship match after coming up short in the championship match two years ago. The Lions look to win their fifth conference tournament championship on Sunday, first since 2015.
The Islanders end their season with a record of 10-5-5, while the Lions are now 9-9-3, and can secure their second-consecutive winning season by beating the Ladyjacks on Sunday. Thursday was the first match as the East Texas A&M Lions for the soccer program.
In a scoreless first half, the Islanders had the 6-5 edge in shots, though just two landed on goal, while one of the five shots for the Lions went on goal, but it was saved.
The Lions were awarded a penalty kick in the 54
th minute with an Islander defender being called for a handball in the penalty box and the SLC Player of the Year
Kaydence Ramirez (Waxahachie) put the penalty kick in the back of the net to give the Lions their first lead of the match.
KAYDENCE RAMIREZ GOAL HIGHLIGHT
Though the lead did not last long for the Lions, as the Islanders tied the match in the 61
st minute on a goal by Morgan Westbury, with Cilia Leal and Storm Harris recording assists on the goal.
Powell put the Lions ahead once again in the 68
th minute with the match-winning goal as she received a long pass from Ramirez and just had the Islander goalkeeper to beat, and she did to give the Lions the win.
SAVANNAH POWELL GOAL HIGHLIGHT
Ramirez totaled five of the team's 10 shots, while
Veronica Pacione (Birdville) made five saves in net. The true freshman goalkeeper is now 2-0 in the postseason to start her collegiate career.
POST MATCH INTERVIEW
-ETAMU-
