CANYON, Texas — Riley Sims erupted for three goals in the opening 17 and a half minutes, and West Texas A&M handed No. 8-ranked Midwestern State its first loss of the season on Wednesday night at The Pitch.
Sloane Sullivan scored her fourth goal of the season, but the Mustangs could not overcome the early deficit and fell to the Lady Buffs, 3-1.
Midwestern State is 11-1-1 with a 7-1-1 record in conference play. West Texas A&M improved to 4-5-3, and the Lady Buffs are 3-3-2 against Lone Star Conference opponents.
Midwestern State outshot West Texas A&M 23-11, but the Lady Buffs are the first team in 32 matches to get more than five shots on goal against the Mustangs, finishing with eight shots on frame. The Mustangs put 10 shots on goal, but Sullivan's was the only one to beat goalkeeper Franciezca Blancaflor, who made nine saves. Sullivan scored her fourth goal of the season in the 27th minute.
Madison Brinkley recorded the Mustangs' first chance in the third minute, but West Texas A&M moved in front when Riley Sims scored off Charo Rodriguez Fortea's assist at 5:22. Sims added a penalty kick at 13:37 and another goal at 17:26, putting West Texas A&M ahead 3-0 despite MSU attempts from
Lexi Gonzales, Sullivan and Annabella Pillow during that stretch. The Maroon & Gold pushed back with corner kicks at 23:50 and 25:15, and Sullivan scored from
Morgan Countryman at 26:28 after an earlier shot on goal to make it 3-1.
Lauren Short kept the deficit there with saves on Braely Martinez and Sims during a West Texas A&M response, while the Mustangs added late shots from
Leeci Snyder, Sullivan and Pillow before the half ended with West Tex. A&M ahead 3-1.
MSU generated the early second-half chances, with Snyder and Sullivan forcing saves from Blancaflor and additional attempts from Countryman,
Bella Rose and Brinkley around two corner kicks. West Texas A&M answered with pressure of its own, including two corners and a Riley Sims shot off the top woodwork at 58:07, before
Marlene Myrvold put another shot on frame for the Mustangs at 63:47. Short kept the half scoreless with saves on Braely Martinez at 70:05 and Bailee Ramirez at 73:08, and West Texas A&M added two late corners before Naya Megnin missed right at 80:31. The Maroon & Gold pushed again in the closing minutes with shots from Snyder and Countryman, but neither team scored in the half.
Up next, the Mustangs host Sul Ross State on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 11 a.m. in Wichita Falls, Texas.
-- MSUMustangs.com --
