HUNTSVILLE — Landri Townsend had a career day to lift the Sam Houston soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Tarleton at Pritchett Field on Sunday.
Townsend scored her first two goals of the season as the Bearkats won their second match in a row to improve to 3-6-2 overall and 2-3-1 in Western Athletic Conference action. Sam Houston defeated Abilene Christian 2-0 on Friday for its first league win.
After not a lot of offensive action in the first half, the game flipped the script in the second.
Townsend put the Bearkats on top 1-0 when she took a deflection in the box and pushed the ball past Texan goalkeeper Delaney Castor in the 64th minute. It didn't take long for Tarleton (4-5-3, 0-3-2) to answer as Mila Bettinelli scored off a deflection in the box less than 30 seconds later.
Townsend wasn't done and Sam Houston kept up the pressure.
Townsend was fouled in the box in the 85th minute when she was tackled from behind trying to chase down the ball. She took advantage of the penalty kick and soared the ball over Castor's head into the upper left corner of the net for what would prove to be the game winner.
Tatum Krueger has a solid match in the net. She finished with nine saves despite being taken down hard twice in the box, the second time drawing one of Tarleton's two yellow cards.
The Kats hit the road next weekend to play Utah Tech on Friday at 8:30 p.m. and Southern Utah on Oct. 9 at 3 p.m.
