The UTD Mercury

Issue date: 10/18/04 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Barry Jackson Sophomore forward Theresa Buckles goes airborne in a game against Hardin-Simmons Oct. 8. The Comets dropped the match 1-0, but remained in second place in the conference after routing McMurry 4-0 the next day.

A breakaway goal with less than 10 minutes left in the game ended the Comets' six-game winning streak, and the women's soccer team fell 1-0 to nationally ranked Hardin-Simmons.

Kelsey Jesen's game-winner for the Cowgirls broke a two-way tie at the top of the American Southwest Conference (ASC). UTD dropped one game behind Hardin-Simmons.

Head Coach John Antonisse said he was proud of the way his team played but was frustrated that the Comets couldn't score a goal.

"We just went out and played our normal game. I thought we were the better team, but we just came up short - hitting the post three times. It was a bad day not to be able to find the net," he said.

Not a team to dwell on defeat, the Comets bounced back Oct. 9 and beat overmatched McMurry 4-0.

Junior forward Natalie Taylor scored two goals and sophomore forward Tiffany Knoblach picked up two assists. The two led a Comet offense that peppered the McMurry defense with 35 shots.

Before the loss to Hardin-Simmons - the Comets' first in American Southwest Conference play - UTD engineered its most impressive run of the season. They reeled off six consecutive wins, including

five shutouts.

In a two game swing through Mississippi and Louisiana, the Comets picked up key shutout wins against conference opponents. UTD handed rival Mississippi College its second conference loss of the year. Two goals from leading scorer Natalie Taylor and a strong defensive effort spearheaded by senior goalkeeper Katie Johnson secured a 2-0 win.

"It was a huge game for us mentally because it's been two years since we beat Mississippi College," Head Coach John Antonisse said. "We just stuck to the game plan, got a couple of goals and ended up winning."

The following day, UTD abused the Louisiana College defense. They scored 10 goals on 32 shots. Super sub freshman, Catherine Fox, came off the bench to score three times.

Junior Jessica Beachy led a defense that didn't allow a single shot. Sophomore forwards Annette Davila and Tiffany Knobloch each scored twice for the Comets as Louisiana College dropped its 10th straight match.

Continued...

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