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VIDEO: Kevin Hudson, Tom Haney after #9 SMU rolls HBU, 3-1

PostPosted: Sat Sep 04, 2021 12:58 am
by PonyPride




From SMUMustangs.com:

No. 9 Mustangs Defeat Houston Baptist 3-1

DALLAS (SMU) – No. 9 SMU earned its second-straight win in a 3-1 final against Houston Baptist on Thursday night at Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium.

Led by two goals from senior Gabriel Costa, the Mustangs (2-0-0, 0-0-0 AAC) shone offensively as they outshot the Huskies (1-2-0, 0-0-0 WAC) 19-8, including 8-2 in shots on goal.

The first score for the Mustangs came in the fifth minute as freshman Kyran Chambron Pinho started the sequence with a pass from the left side of the field into the penalty box to find junior Papa Ndoye. Surrounded by Husky defenders, Ndoye tapped his pass back to senior Knut Ahlander, who buried a shot off his left foot from the top of the penalty box.

SMU doubled its lead in the 17th minute as Costa connected with freshman Bailey Sparks to give the Mustangs a 2-0 advantage. Sparks earned his first collegiate point with a pass to Costa, whose shot from above the box slipped just past the Houston Baptist keeper.

After heading into the break with a 2-0 lead, the Mustangs spent the first 15 minutes of the second half gathering three shots, but couldn't put one into the back of the net.

Houston Baptist trimmed SMU's lead to 2-1 when CJ Smith scored in the 60th minute thanks to assists from Gianluca Natera and Nathan Karmbor.

Costa extended the Mustang lead to 3-1 as he chipped a pass from senior Lane Warrington over a Husky defender and into the left side of the goal in the 66th minute for a brace, marking his second multi-goal performance in as many matches.

The SMU defense kept Houston Baptist off the board for the remaining 24 minutes as freshman Mads Westergren and seniors Thomas Haney and Brandon Terwege held strong in the backfield.

"We each bring our own physicality and special skills on the ball," Haney said of his fellow defenders. "I think one of the great things about us is if we kinda get mixed around for a second, we're all comfortable playing in any of the three spots, and that kind of flexibility really allows us to maintain our defensive solidity."

Keeper Cole Johnson (2-0-0) earned the win with one save that came in the 60th minute as the sophomore punched a shot from Houston Baptist's Luis Poblacion over the top of the goal, securing the 3-1 victory for the Mustangs.

SMU is back at Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium on Monday, Sept. 6 as they face Denver. The match is set for a 7 p.m. CT start on ESPN+.