UALR Tops UAPB 4-0

August 27, 2013

LITTLE ROCK – UALR controlled the entirety of play on Tuesday night, never allowing a shot on goal from visiting UAPB as it cruised to a 4-0 victory at the Coleman Sports & Recreation Complex.

The Trojans (2-0) finished the game with 47 shots and 21 on goal against the Lions (0-3). Paige Mason scored twice, Ashley Barksdale had two assists and Ariel Galletti and Olivia Goddard scored their first goals of the year in the victory.

“We’re not just winning, but we’re taking control the game and putting it on each team,” Mason said. “We just take care of business and take control of the game.”

UALR is now 2-0 on the season for the first time since 2002 and has won its last three contests against UAPB. The Trojans also equaled their win total from all of 2012 with the victory Tuesday night.

Mason got on the board first for the Trojans, striking in the third minute after a scrum inside the six-yard box. The ball was played into the area, and after bouncing off multiple players for both teams, Mason got the last touch before it went into the net.

The game looked as though it was going to be a runaway from that point on, but the Trojans could not score another goal in the first half to pull away. Still, the Trojans ended the first half with 22 total shots and nine on goal. The team hit multiple posts as well during the first 45 minutes.

“I liked the fact that we did some really good attacking combinations better than we did the last game,” Trojans coach Adrian Blewitt said. “I thought we were really good tonight. … It was a very, very good performance going forward.”

After halftime, though, the goals came. Galletti made it a 2-0 game when she was a recipient of a pass from Barksdale in tight space in the box in the 56th minute. The goal was the 10th of Galletti’s career.

Barksdale had a hand in the next goal as well, executing a perfect corner kick that Goddard got under and headed into the net in the 73rd minute.

Mason got her second goal of the night 99 seconds later. Adrianna Queen ripped a shot from the left side of the penalty box, and UAPB goalie Alyssa Cobbs made a diving save. But the rebound went straight to Mason, who had an open net to shoot on and make it a 4-0 lead for the Trojans.

“We were grinding shot after shot [in the first half] whether it was on frame or off to the side,” Mason said. “We were getting there, but that final cherry on top, we finally got it [in the second half].”

The Trojans continued their suffocating play for the final 15 minutes, keeping the Lions off the scoreboard and preserving a split shutout for goalies Kylie Wilson and Sara Cavanagh. Neither had to make a save in the contest.

UALR now heads on the road for the first time this season, traveling to Clarksville, Tenn., for a Friday-night matchup at Austin Peay at 7. The Trojans conclude the weekend road trip with a Sunday date at Murray State.

“No disrespect to the two teams that we played, but our season really starts now,” Blewitt said. “We know that every game now is going to be very difficult, and it’s a test for us to find out what we can do against tougher competition.”

 

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