STEPHENVILLE – Victoria Cameron netted the game-winning goal in the final seven minutes to lead Tarleton State to the 2-1 victory over the 2023 WAC regular season runners-up, California Baptist Lancers on Thursday night at the CBU Soccer Stadium.
The Texans (7-4-3 overall, 1-1-0 WAC) knocked off the Lancers (5-4-2, 1-1-0) for the first time in program history. The CBU loss snapped an 11-match WAC regular season unbeaten streak, dating back to Oct. 29, 2022. Tarleton is the first non-nationally ranked opponent to defeat the Lancers in Riverside this season and since Aug. 27 of last season snapping a 13-match unbeaten streak. The Purple and White are also the first squad to net multiple goals against the Lancers this season and the most since Sept. 28, 2023.
Sam Liaty netted her third goal of the season, her second via a header. Liaty’s head gave the Texans the first goal of the match from a pair of passes by Reegan Wagg and Adelaide Wyrzynski.
Cameron scored the game-winning goal in the final seven minutes of the contest. Jaycie Bass sent a pass up past the midfielder where Cameron sprinted past her defender. She beat the keeper to secure the eventual game-winner, the first of her two-year career.
Mikayla Kendall totaled 12 saves including a flurry of game-saving saves in the second half. Kendall improves her WAC-best saves total to 70.
In the first seven minutes of play, the Texans nearly struck first. Off a free kick from near midfield from Bass, Wyrzynski one-touched it loose ball after a Texan block shot that forced the CBU keeper to make a kick save keeping the match tied at zero.
The Texans struck first scoring in the 11th minute to take a 1-0 lead against last year’s WAC runner-up. Wagg started the play finding Wyrzynski in the left corner of the box. Wyrzynski then lifted a cross to the opposite post where Liaty was there to head in her third goal of the season.
In the first six minutes of the second half, the Lancers tied the match at one. The ball started in the corner across from the benches where CBU sent a cross to the middle of the box. After a deflection of the head of a Lancer, Jayden Ramirez headed it past a diving Kendall to tie the match.
With just over 25 minutes remaining, Julia Bell made a game-saving team save to keep the game tied. After Kendall was flushed out on a shot to the top of the box, the ball found its way to the front of the net where Bell kicked it out and kept the game tied at one apiece.
With under seven minutes to go, Cameron scored the dagger to end the Lancers conference unbeaten streak. After a Lancer throw in was snagged by Nicole Fels, and dished off to Bass, Bass sent a ball down past midfield. The speedy Cameron outraced her defender taking the ball to the net for a one-on-one with the CBU keeper. Cameron flipped it past and erupted in celebration putting the Texans up for good, 2-1.
The Lancers out-shot the Texans, 20-9, including 14-5 on goal. But the Texan defense proved to be strong recording 13 saves to the Lancers’ three.
Tarleton State will stay out west for another game on Sunday at Grand Canyon at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ from the GCU The Texans will finish their three-game road trip next weekend at Seattle U.
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