PORTALES - The Angelo State soccer team scored one early goal Saturday morning and held onto the lead the rest of the game, defeating Eastern New Mexico 1-0 in Portales, New Mexico.
The Belles (8-2-1, 5-1-1 LSC) got off just seven shots all game, which was their lowest single-game total so far this season, but were able to find the back of the net once and secure the road win.
"It was an interesting situation to be mentally prepared for after the game got rescheduled last night, and I was proud of the way the girls responded," Angelo State head soccer coach Travis McCorkle said. "Eastern has had a lot of shutouts this year, so getting the goal and the win on the road was good to see."
Sophomore Trenadey Scott got the lone goal, scoring just three minutes into the match. The Fort Worth native received the ball from defender Meagan Denn at the top of the 18-yard box, taking one dribble before hammering the ball through the goalkeeper's hands and into the net.
The goal was Scott's 11th of the season, which leads the Lone Star Conference. It was the first career assist and point for Denn, who is a freshman. The goal broke ENMU's scoreless streak of more than 200 minutes that spanned over the Greyhounds last three games.
ASU had just one more shot the rest of the half as Callie Smith shot high, but the defense only allowed a pair of shots from ENMU as well.
The two Greyhound shots came with less than five minutes left before the break as Eastern New Mexico pressed hard and took three corners in a span of two minutes. The ASU back line held up though, keeping the lead as the first half ended.
Angelo State got minutes on defense from Smith, Marissa Brezgiel, Molly Warren, Meagan Denn, Kylie Deel, Kyah Carlsen, and Janessa Dunbar throughout the game, and the group allowed just three shots on goal in the game. This matched the opponent low for the season, which also came against ENMU on October 1.
ASU created several more scoring chances in the second half, as Avery McNeme had a pair of shots that were saved and Cassandra Moosburger and Megan Allen each had a shot on goal as well.
None of the shots went in but the Belle defense continued to keep ENMU away from the goal and goalkeeper Sammy Cude stopped both the shots that came her way to earn her third shutout of the season.
"I didn't think it was the absolute best we can play defensively, but we played really smart, especially in the last 10 minutes of the game," McCorkle said. "I thought stopping them at the end of the first half was the biggest defensive play of the game, and we held up for the shutout in the second half."
The win was also No. 150 as a head coach for the Colorado native McCorkle, who is in his 14th season as a head coach.
Angelo State will now travel to Canyon, Texas where they will take on West Texas A&M at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
