SMU Tops Tulsa, 4-1, on Senior Day

October 23, 2016

DALLAS (SMU) – Three different Mustangs scored, including Vanessa Valadez who scored twice, leading the SMU women's soccer team to a 4-1 victory over Tulsa, on senior day Sunday afternoon at Westcott Field. SMU improved to 11-5-1 overall, 5-2-1 in the American Athletic Conference, while the Golden Hurricane fell to 8-8-1, 4-3-0 in The American. SMU remains in third place in the AAC Conference standings (16 points), as No. 21 Connecticut (19 points) and [RV] Memphis (18 points) each earned wins.

Valadez scored both her goals in the opening 15 minutes, scoring in the second and 15th minute. In the second minute, after beating a defender on the far side, the redshirt sophomore sent a curling shot from the top of the 18-yard box into the upper, near corner. Later, Valadez got above the Golden Hurricane defenders and netted a header off a Haley Thompson corner kick to give SMU a 3-0 lead. Valadez now has eight goals this season, and 17 in her career. Sophomore defender Thompson now has six assists.

In between Valadez's goals, midfielder Claire Oates scored in the fifth minute, tapping in a loose ball from inside the six-yard box. Oates has seven goals this season, 17 in her career.

In the 58th minute, Blair Thorpe gave SMU a 4-1 lead, scoring from 16-yards out. Thorpe, who now has five goals this season, collected a rebound off a Tulsa defender and fired a shot to give SMU its final score.

The SMU offense posted 23 shots, with 10 on goal. Ten different Mustangs recorded shots with Thorpe, Valadez, and Allie Thornton leading the way with four apiece. Defensively, SMU allowed only six shots, four on goal, while blanking Tulsa in corner kicks.

Tulsa's Rachel Thun scored the Golden Hurricane's lone goal in the 23rd minute.

The Mustangs conclude their regular season Thursday at Houston. The game is slated for 7 p.m. For more information, visit SMUMustangs.com.

Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Mustangs by following SMU women's soccer on Twitter at @SMUSoccerW, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SMUSoccerw, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/SMUSoccerW. Twitter at @SMUMustangs or Instagram at SMU.Mustangs.

Postgame Notes:

  • The last season SMU won 11 games was in 2011 (11-8-1)
  • SMU improves to 24-6-2 all-time against Tulsa
  • SMU is outscoring opponents 43-19. SMU is averaging 2.53 goals per game, while the opposition is averaging 1.12
  • SMU has tallied 280 shots, 137 on goal (48.9 percent), while holding opponents to 186 shots, 62 on goal (33.3 percent)
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