The UCA women’s soccer team (0-3-1) recorded its highest-scoring game of its just-beginning season and its first tie with a 2-2 score in a valiant effort against the Arkansas State Red Wolves (1-1-1) in a home-turf matchup.
The Bears took to the pitch on Aug. 27 with a few losses under their paws and something to prove. A-State junior forward Emma Riley immediately challenged the team by grabbing the match’s first goal two minutes in.
UCA’s Kelly Van Gundy, a junior midfielder, equalized the match minutes later, landing the ball in the Wolves’ den off an assist from sophomore forward Trace Pavatt and freshman midfielder Megan Moudy.
Moudy’s appearance was notable, said Coach Jeremy Bishop, who said she “played well.” Bishop said Pavatt was “dangerous getting around the outsides,” — a formidable opponent for the Red Wolves, and a key player in UCA’s goal-scoring.
The Bears turned the heat even higher during the first with another game-changing moment from Moudy. The newcomer brought her team into the lead with a goal assisted again by Pavatt.
At the 32-minute mark, after nearly ten minutes straight of a Bears lead, A-State returned the favor with a game-ending equalizer. Junior forward Aliyah Williamson scored the final goal — the 13th in her career — making her tied for sixth place in most goals scored in A-State’s program history.
The intense first half of the match saw UCA with seven shots to A-State’s six. The Red Wolves were hard at work protecting their territory with three saves to UCA’s null.
Bishop acknowledged the intensity of this match: “They were competitive and really challenged us on everything. Their style of play is kinda difficult to play against, very direct, and so we’ve got to do a better job of winning balls in the air so that we can keep them from being able to attack.”
By the second half, the Red Wolves took control of the field but failed to produce a game-leading goal. The second saw five shots from A-State, compared to a lower two from the Bears.
UCA’s goalkeeper junior Kajsa Pruner showed off her skills with four saves in the final 45, a substitution that paid off for Bishop, who said “Kajsa had a good game on goal in the second half.”
The play was an improvement for the Bears, according to graduate student and midfielder Sydney Brough.
“I think we did better than we have the past few games,” she said. “There were moments throughout the game that we played the soccer that we know how to play. But it’s still not where it needs to be.”
Bishop said the team is still getting into the groove: “Aside from a few mistakes, I thought we did OK, definitely wasn’t our best. But it’s a process for us this year to get to where we need to be. So we’re getting there.”
The Bears’ next game will be at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock at 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 28.
The Trojans (0-0-2) are a familiar opponent for UCA. Brough said the team is excited to take them on: “We love playing at Little Rock on that turf. So it’s gonna be a different game. We’re gonna have to play differently than we normally play. We’re gonna have to play very direct since it is on turf [that is] very bouncy, it moves fast, so it’s gonna be different — but I think that we should win.”
Follow the UCA women’s soccer team on Instagram @ucawsoccer for more updates.