Mean Green soccer earn fourth straight conference win
Scott Sidway / Staff Writer
The Mean Green soccer team defeated the University of Texas- San Antonio 2-0 on Sunday afternoon to pick up their fourth straight Conference USA victory.
The North Texas (10-3, 4-0) defense has not allowed a goal in conference play so far this season, and today's shutout puts junior goalkeeper Jackie Kerestine one away from the school's single season shutout record.
With head coach John Hedlund sitting Sunday's game out due to his red card violation against the University of Texas – El Paso on Friday, the team was led by assistant coaches Daniel Dobson and Matt Montayne. Dobson said that his team's defense played well today and throughout conference play so far. Kerestine recorded six saves on the day out of UTEP's (5-6-1, 1-3) 14 total shots.
"It starts with Jackie in the back. She's a big leader on this team," Dobson said. "And then from there, the back line is just playing solid. So we're not giving up too many shots. And the shots we do give up, Jackie is there to gobble them up."
Unlike most of their previous games this season, the Mean Green managed to get on the scoreboard early. Junior midfielder Jackie Moreau scored in the second minute with a header off a corner kick from junior forward Karla Pineda. Pineda leads the team in goals with six and assists with five.
"We got a corner in the first minute, and Jackie was where she needed to be and scored the goal," Pineda said. "That's one of the things we've worked on during practice."
The second goal for the Mean Green also came from a Moreau-Pineda connection. This time, Moreau set up Pineda off a free kick to give North Texas a 2-0 cushion. Moreau said that the chemistry on the field with Pineda is strengthened by being roommates.
"We're roommates and we see each other all the time," Moreau said. "So we're learning where each other plays and where we can make our runs."
After scoring more than one goal only three times in nonconference play, the Mean Green has now scored multiple goals in a game twice through four conference games. Conference play for the Mean Green has been physical so far this season, and Sunday's matchup with UTSA was no different as the two teams combined for five yellow cards and 16 fouls.
North Texas now has a perfect 12 points in the C-USA standings after Sunday's victory. Next on the Mean Green's conference slate is a match with Rice University, which will take place in Houston next Sunday at 1 p.m.
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