BLINN WOMEN’S SOCCER SHUTS OUT TEXAS SOUTHMOST 5-0
Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information
Following a first-half stalemate, the Blinn College women’s soccer team found all the offense it needed – and then some – in a decisive Region 14 victory.
The Buccaneers scored five second-half goals en route to a 5-0 shutout of Texas Southmost College on Tuesday at Rankin Field in Brenham, Texas.
Blinn improved to 6-3-2 overall and 4-3-2 in the region standings.
“When we trust our identity, the results follow,” Bucs head coach Alexandria Jackson said. “We’re finally playing our style of soccer again, which is what we wanted heading into the final part of our season and into the postseason.”
In the opening 45 minutes, Blinn smothered the Scorpions with offensive pressure, but were unable to convert on any of its nine shots.
That changed in the second half, as the Bucs continued their attack to the tune of 18 shots but finally broke through in a big way.
In the 46th minute, freshman forward Kamryn Shamblin threw the ball in, and sophomore midfielder gathered it on a bounce just inside the Southmost box. Funk then sidestepped the Scorpion goalkeeper and fired a long shot into the net for a 1-0 lead.
Freshman forward Khadeeja Rhoden kept things going for Blinn when she fired a shot just as she slipped and found the back of the net anyway. Sophomore midfielder Genevive Lillard and Funk assisted on the goal.
Freshman midfielder Mikaela Juliano added back-to-back goals in the 64th and 68th minutes, and Rhoden capped the onslaught with her second goal of the match in the 86th.
Lillard and freshman midfielder Taylor Bull assisted on Juliano’s first goal, while freshman midfielder Chloey Mejia aided on her second. Sophomore midfielder Angelia Julianna Torrez Paz and sophomore forward Starr Humphreys provided assistance on the final goal of the match.
The Bucs ended the day with 27 shots, including 21 on goal, and had a 13-0 advantage in corner kicks.
Freshman keeper Haidlyn Hawkins made four saves to preserve the shutout and improved to 2-3-2 for the Bucs.
Blinn’s season continues with a region home tilt against No. 14 Angelina College at 5:30 p.m. on Friday at Rankin Field.