PORTALES, N.M. – Senior midfielder Vanessa Gallegoshad three of the Eastern New Mexico University women’s soccer team’s (3-12-1; LSC 2-9) shots on goal, during Wednesday night’s Lone Star Conference match. The Hounds turned in one of their top performances of the season, despite suffering a 1-0 setback to West Texas A&M (11-4; LSC 9-2) at Al Whitehead Field at Greyhound Stadium. The Lady Buffs entered the contest ranked fourth in the South Central Region.
“I thought we played well for 90 minutes,” said Head Coach Omar Morales. “It was an unlucky break, but I’m proud for how they came out and competed tonight.”
The Turning Point
- With just under three minutes to play, WT’s Khadidra Debesette netted the game-winning goal on a header, just after a corner kick
- Just over a minute later, Eastern narrowly missed getting an equalizing goal, when Courtney Dippel made a diving save of a shot from ENMU’s Amber Polizzi
Beyond the Box Score
- The teams played to a scoreless tie in the first half
- Although each team had four shots, the Hounds generated a number of scoring opportunities over the initial 45 minutes of play
- WT entered the contest on a conference-best seven-match win streak and is in the hunt for home field in the conference tournament
- Eastern played its strongest game of the year on both ends of the field, and challenged nearly every pass and attack from the Lady Buffs
In the Numbers
- ENMU’s Marissa Torres made five saves, while Dippel had four
- The Lady Buffs held a 5-1 edge in corner kicks and a slim 6-4 advantage in shots on goal
Up Next
The Eastern New Mexico University women’s soccer team will conclude the regular season on Friday, when they host Midwestern State. The game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. MT.
