WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- With the stands packed and the night ripe, Midwestern State's first home event of the season started the team off on a strong note. MSU was victorious over DIII side McMurry University with a 3-0 score at the final whistle.
The War Hawks started the game with the upper hand, gaining two corner kicks within the first ten minutes. The Mustangs quickly turned things around with
Valentina Carvajal notching the first shot of the game in the twelfth minute.
MSU then forced a mistake on the McMurry defenders, resulting in an own goal for the away side and putting the home side on the board. The 22nd minute goal marked the first score of the season for the Mustangs and put the game in their control.
Midwestern State outshot the War Hawks eight to one in the first half with
Taylor Camp recording one save from between the posts. Cortlynn Boone made two saves for the opposition.
Lauren Freeman made her MSU debut as keeper for the second half.
Marissa Resendez tallied her third shot of the game early in the half and her fourth bounced off the left frame of the goal. The sophomore led both teams in shots with
Alyssa Salinas coming up close behind with three.
Carvajal tried her hand in the 66th minute and walked away with her third career goal. Freshman
Lexi Beck made her statement on the night with her first helper donning the maroon and gold.
Beck then went on to rocket a shot off the top bar with
Isabella Cruz following up two minutes later with the exact same result. Luckily,
Nicole Marsolek was able to find the back of the net in the 83rd minute for her fifth goal in three years. From there, Midwestern State was able to hold it down until the final buzzer.
MSU recorded 15 shots in the second half while McMurry registered five. Freeman grabbed her first two saves of the season and Boone added five more.
The Mustangs will take on Oklahoma Baptist in the last preseason scrimmage before beginning the true test. The team returns to Stang Park on Sept 10, for the official season home opener against Colorado School of Mines.
--MSUMustangs.com--