HUNTSVILLE – Two goals weren't enough for Sam Houston State soccer as the Bearkats fell in their home opener 5-2 to UTSA on Sunday night from Pritchett Field.
The Allen products – freshman Kaylee Davis and senior Allie Johnson – provided the pair of second-half goals to open the Kats' scoring for the season.
“We want to really learn from some of the areas we've been exposed from defensively,” head coach Tom Brown said. “We got to clean up some of the things in the back. We showed we could score some goals. We just got to sort some things in the back and let the offense takeover.”
The Roadrunners (2-0) capitalized on set pieces in the first half to take the early lead. In the 16th minute, Melissa Finley hammered home a header off Marianne Hernandez's corner kick before Kaja Skare doubled the lead with a shot from the spot 21 minutes later.
“We were disappointed with the first half,” Brown said. “I thought we really came out and didn't compete as hard as we could as far as winning balls and air balls… the second half I thought they really came out and competed. We got a great goal from Kaylee Davis.”
Davis halved the Roadrunners' lead in the 64th minute touching a ball past UTSA's keeper on the left flank and finishing the shot to the open net from junior transfer forward Beryl Smith's through ball.
The Kats (0-2) pressed on but got the short end of the stick in a wild last 15 minutes of the match.
Sam Houston was forced to play with 10 players after the 76th minute when freshman midfielder Hayden Oswalt received a straight red card in an off-the-ball play.
In a span of 46 seconds, the game then saw three goals and a second ejection.
UTSA extended its lead to 3-1 when Katieann Lochte fired a rebound to the left side of the net in the 82nd minute. The head official waved off his assistant referee's call for offside on the goal, sparking arguments from head coach Tom Brown that led to his ejection.
Twenty-seven seconds later Johnson sent a screamer from the 18-yard box to the right-upper 90 and gave Smith her second assist of the night.
The comeback would be short lived as Brianna Livecchi's header in the 83rd minute gave the Cougars' two-goal lead back. Jordyn Lacy put the game away for UTSA in the 86th minute off Nicole Galan's pass across the Kats' defense.
“Tonight we had three freshmen out there,” Brown said. “We have a freshman goalkeeper. It's going to take them some time to get caught up with the speed of the game. They just have to keep working every day and we as coaches have to be patient with them.”
The match was Sam Houston's lone home game before returning to Pritchett Field on Sept. 30 against McNeese. The Kats will next play Friday in Austin against Detroit Mercy. Kickoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. with the game to be broadcast on the Longhorn Network.
