SMU W-Soccer Extends Unbeaten Streak To Four Games

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DALLAS (SMU) – Kenzie Scovill scored twice and Shelby Redman also found the back of the net for SMU as the Mustangs topped the visiting UAB Blazers 3-1 at Westcott Field on Friday night.

SMU (8-6-3, 4-2-3 C-USA) extended its unbeaten streak to four games, and has only lost twice since Sept. 14 at Baylor.

The Mustangs laid a barrage of shots on UAB (2-15-0, 1-8-0 C-USA), totaling 33 for the contest. SMU controlled possession for much of the game, not allowing a UAB shot until more than 20 minutes into the contest. The Mustangs also totaled 13 corner kicks compared to just one for the Blazers.

We had the ball in their end a lot,” Head Coach Chris Petrucelli said. “We had the ball around their goal a lot. We were able to free ourselves and create chances.

“We probably should have scored more than we did. The post got us a couple of times, the goalkeeper got us a couple of times, but overall, we’ll take it.”

On SMU’s third corner kick, Courtney Smith curved the ball into the box and found the well-placed head of Redman, who redirected the ball past UAB’s goalkeeper Courtnie Northern. The goal was Redman’s seventh of the season. UAB was able to tie the game before halftime, however. A breakdown defensively by SMU forced goalkeeper Lauryn Bodden into a poor position. Bodden made a save on an initial UAB shot, but Paige Hanks gobbled up the rebound and put it in the empty net.

Corner kicks again proved deadly for SMU early in the second half. Mallory Baum launched a ball into the box from the left side toward Olivia Elliott, who made an attempt on goal. The shot was stopped, but Scovill found the loose ball and gave SMU a 2-1 lead that it would not relinquish. Scovill added an insurance goal with less than six minutes remaining on a great transition sequence that finished with Rikki Clarke feeding Scovill in the box on the run. Scovill’s shot went off the outreached arms of Northern and trickled into the goal.

Scovill now has eight goals on the season. The combined scoring efforts of Scovill and Redman, who are No. 1 and 2 on the team in goals respectively, is certainly important as the regular season winds down.

“If you’re going to win, you have to have people you can count on to score,” Petrucelli said of the top-scoring duo. “We’re all pretty confident that we have two, at least, and Olivia (Elliott) is probably a third. If you have people you can count on, you’re confident going into a game that you have a chance.”

The Mustangs are now 5-0-1 at home on the season, and have outscored their opponents 16-4 at Westcott in 2012. SMU’s next challenger on the Hilltop will be Memphis on Sunday at 2 p.m.

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