VIDEO: Women's soccer rolls Northwestern State, 3-0

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Valadez, Oates Combine For Three Goals In SMU Win Over Northwestern State
Vanessa Valadez scores a pair of goals and leads team in points with 12

Sept. 13, 2015

DALLAS (SMU) – SMU women’s soccer got goals from Claire Oates and Vanessa Valadez, and goalkeeper Shannon Moroney earned her first shutout of the season in a victory over Northwestern State on Sunday at Westcott Field.

Oates scored her third headed goal of the season in the first half of the 3-0 win over the Lady Demons.

In the 23rd minute, the Mustangs earned a corner kick and forward Lauren Guerra stepped up and sent a cross into the box. Oates beat her defender in the air and headed it in to the net, to give SMU the 1-0 lead.

“We got the service right and we got the finish right,” head coach Chris Petrucelli said about Oates’ goal. “We’ve been close the last few games but we haven’t been able to quite get it in, so it’s good for her, it’s good for the team. It’s an important goal because it put us in control.”

The Mustangs held possession of the ball for the majority of the game, and outshot Northwestern State, 20-5. In the last two matches, SMU has outshot its opponents, 37-8.

Contributing to the shot total was Valadez, who had three assists in the 3-1 victory over Sam Houston State last time out. In the 82nd minute, Blair Thorpe dribbled down the sideline and crossed it into the box to a waiting Valadez, who then flicked on a header into the goal.

Two minutes later, Valadez broke free behind the defense and found herself in a one-on-one situation with the Lady Demons’ goalkeeper. The redshirt freshman took a hard shot that would deflect off the goalie and in to the net.

Valadez now has four goals on the season, and along with four assists, she leads the Mustangs in points with 12. Petrucelli was impressed with the play of Valadez in the last few matches.

“Yeah, I think she’s pretty good,” Petrucelli said. “She certainly can finish. She ran by a couple people today, so she’s really starting to come on.”

The Mustang goalkeeper, Moroney, was only tested a couple times, facing only two shots on goal. It was the senior’s fifth career shutout, and she now holds a 2-2-2 record this season.

The first half saw the Mustangs take 10 shots, including a Lissi Lonsberry strike in the fourth minute that went off the post. Lonsberry finished with three shots on the day.

Northwestern State had five different players take a shot throughout the match. Their best attempt came in the eighth minute when Camila Ardila took a free kick that hit off the post.

The Lady Demons are coached by George Van Linder, a former SMU women’s soccer head coach for four seasons.

“I think George’s teams have always been really organized and have played well off the counter,” Petrucelli said about the style of play from Northwestern State.

The Mustangs have won their last two matches, and are 2-1-1 in their last four. Petrucelli likes the progression that his team has shown since the beginning of the season.

“I think it makes us feel good, we’ve played a lot of good teams so far and to be .500 right now, it’s a good step for us,” Petrucelli said.

The Mustangs will face rival TCU on Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. CT at Westcott Field. Petrucelli said that the Mustangs will have to deal with the physicality of the Horned Frogs.

“It’ll be hard, they’re physical and fast,” Petrucelli said. “You know, they kind of run you over so we’re gonna have to try and manage that a little bit.”

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Paige Jacobs and Vanessa Valadez each made The American honor roll this week!

http://theamerican.org/news/2015/9/14/WSOC_0914153141.aspx

Paige Jacobs, SMU, Jr., M
Tallied five points over the weekend, as she scored two goals in SMU's 3-1 win over Sam Houston State, and added an assist in the Mustangs' 3-0 win over Northwestern State.

Vanessa Valadez, SMU, RS-Fr., F
Notched seven points on the weekend with three assists in the Mustangs' Friday victory, followed by a two-goal performance in their win on Sunday.