WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State opened its season with a stern test against MSU Denver. The Mustangs had the only two shots on goal in a 0-0 draw at Stang Park on Thursday afternoon.
Alessandra Romano, a junior transfer from Jacksonville State, put a low shot to the center of the net in the 31st minute, but Kylie Bach was able to make her first of two saves for the Roadrunners.
Senior forward
Cassidy Savoy, who had four goals and two assists last season, would force Bach to make her second save with another low shot in the 58th minute.
The Mustangs outshot MSU Denver, 11-9. The Roadrunners had their best chances in the first half, when they outshot the Mustangs, 6-2. Midwestern State controlled the run of play in the second half.
"We finished strong," said head coach
Ryan Spence. "We had a few more opportunities, I wish we had capitalized."
Spence saw the Mustangs play with better energy in the second half and thought Midwestern State had stronger legs over the final 45 minutes.
The Mustangs had six corner kicks, and Spence was pleased with the execution of those set pieces for the most part.
"When we had people in the right places, we had some chances. I think we had three balls cleared off the goal line," Spence said.
Spence was content with the clean sheet and told the team after the match that they did two things well.
"We had a shutout and we created chances," Spence said. "You can't always score goals — but if you have a shutout, you give yourself a chance to win."
Entering the match, the sixth-year head coach would have been pleased with a 0-0 draw against a stout opponent from the RMAC. The Roadrunners won 12 games last season, and they allowed less than a goal a game. But Spence said after seeing the chances the Mustangs created, the scoreless draw was a little disappointing.
Midwestern State is on the road Saturday night to face Central Oklahoma. The Bronchos opened their season Thursday with a 3-3 draw at Angelo State. Kickoff at Tom Thompson Field in Edmond, Oklahoma, is scheduled for 7 p.m.
--MSUMustangs.com--
