Junior forward Charlotte Collins-Blaize recorded the first multi-goal performance for the Eastern New Mexico women’s soccer team this season as the Hounds cruised to a 3-0 victory over UT-Permian Basin Friday afternoon at Greyhound Stadium.
The Hounds (7-7-2, 5-5-1 Lone Star Conference) first big opportunity came in the 30th minute of the first half, but Julia Tucker’s shot was saved by UTPB goalkeeper Raeann Garcia.
In the 34th minute, the Falcons (2-14, 1-10 LSC) had a chance to give UTPB the first lead of the match, but freshman goalkeeper made a fantastic leaping save off a header by UTPB’s Lauren Marenco to keep the match scoreless.
Eastern was finally able to break through at the 42:53 mark when freshman forward Anahi Hernandez’s cross from the right side of the goal box was headed in by Collins-Blaize to make it a 1-nil Hounds advantage heading into the half.
The Greyhounds dominated the Falcons during the opening period, outshooting UTPB by a 10-3 margin, including a 5-1 ratio in shots on-goal.
ENMU was even more dominant in the second half as it didn’t take long for the Hounds to add to their lead.
In the 60th minute, Collins-Blaize notched her second goal of the match when Keyara Zuniga fed her a long pass on a breakaway down the middle of the field. Collins-Blaize beat the defense and fired the open shot past the keeper from 15 yards out to make it a 2-0 edge.
The Falcons had a chance to cut into the Greyhounds lead at the 75:35 mark, but UTPB’s Ariel Roybal fired a shot that hit the crossbar and her follow-up shot was blocked by the Eastern defense to maintain the shutout.
The Hounds added one more goal for good measure in the 80th minute. On a breakaway, Keyara Zuniga fired a shot from the left side of the goal box that was initially saved, but she tracked down the loose ball and found the back of the net on her next shot to give Eastern the three-goal victory.
As dominant as the Eastern offense was in the first half, it was even more dominant in the second. The Hounds outshot the Falcons by a 16-4 margin with a 10-0 edge in shots on-goal. Overall for the match, Eastern took 26 shots, placing a season-high 15 on-goal.
Collins-Blaize was the first Greyhound to score multiple goals in a match since Ariel Lopez did it in a 2-1 win at Midwestern State on Oct. 27, 2017. With her two-goal performance and Zuniga’s second-half goal, both players became the team-leaders on the season with three goals apiece.
Hernandez and Victoria Nuñez each came away with their second assists of the season while Keyara Zuniga’s assist on the second goal was her first of the year. Keyara Zuniga led the team with six shots, putting four on-goal while Morgan Zuniga added five, placing two on-net.
Jackson in-goal for the Hounds pitched her fifth complete match shutout, only needing to make one incredible save on-goal in the match.
After picking up the victory and Texas A&M-Commerce lost to Texas Woman’s last night, the Hounds have moved into the No. 4 spot in the Lone Star Conference standings. Eastern will lock up a home LSC tourney match and the No. 4 seed with a win or tie on Sunday, and a TAMUC tie or loss to Midwestern State on Friday.
The Hounds can decide it all on Sunday as they host Angelo State at 1 p.m. in their final home match of the regular season. Eastern will honor its three senior players following the completion of the match.