University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Mean Green Hand Cajuns First Sun Belt Loss of the Season
10/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Mean Green
Hand Cajuns First Sun Belt Loss of the Season
UL Lafayette will
honor three seniors during Senior Day activities Sunday
Friday, October 22, 2004
LAKE CHARLES – A pair of missed scoring opportunities and a late goal by North Texas' leading scorer Melinda Pina cost Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns a 2-1 defeat here Friday at the Cowgirl Soccer Complex.
Louisiana-Lafayette (7-6-2, 3-1-1 Sun Belt) lost despite an excellent offensive attack and held North Texas (11-4-1, 4-1-1 Sun Belt) to just 14 shots during the match. UL Lafayette had 12 shots.
Louisiana-Lafayette scored first in the 12th minute of the opening period. Reigning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week Lotte Rasmussen stole a Mean Green pass at midfield and broke past the defense, sending a shot into the right corner of the net. Rasmussen's sixth goal of the season gave the Cajuns an early 1-0 lead.
“We took advantage of a quick opportunity that put us up early,” UL Lafayette head coach Dave Poggi said. “We weren't able to put the match away when we had the chance.”
North Texas responded three minutes later. Krista Georgas sent a would-be pass that sailed over the hands of a leaping Cajun goalie Kristen Malen into the top left corner for the equalizer. Georgas' first goal of the season deflated the Cajuns' short-lived lead.
The Mean Green threatened to take the lead right before the half. A yellow card on Kerri Luyties in the 41st minute gave UNT the best scoring chance in the half for either team, but Richelle Magalhaes' free kick sailed over the goal to keep the match knotted a one apiece heading into the break.
“North Texas took advantage of a couple of opportunities during the match and we didn't,” Poggi added. “I think North Texas got a few lucky breaks in the end.
“I think a tie would have been a fairer outcome.”
UL Lafayette had the perfect chance to score ten minutes into the second half. Freshman Erin Thompson sent a lead pass past UNT goalie Briana Buchanan, but the ball went just past the sprinting Rasmussen. The Cajuns had a second scoring opportunity less than a minute later with a Sherryl Owens free kick that hit the crossbar.
“Erin (Thompson) played very well for us today,” Poggi said. “She never gave up.”
With less than 11 minutes remaining in regulation, Thompson and Rasmussen broke free to setup another Cajuns scoring opportunity, but Buchanan made a sliding save to stop the attack.
A break in the Cajun defense produced the winning score for North Texas. Jamie Yates sent a pass through a diving Malen to Pina who sent home her eighth goal of the season.
“I am very proud of the way our girls played today,” Poggi continued. “They played hard and never gave up. Now we just have to focus on Sunday's match against Denver.”
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns will close out its “home” schedule Sunday against three-time defending Sun Belt Conference champion Denver in a 1 p.m. match here in Lake Charles. Before the match, UL Lafayette will recognize seniors Sherryl Owens, Courtney Kelly and Natalie Hanks during Senior Day festivities.
North Texas (11-4-1,
4-1-1) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (7-6-2, 3-1-1)
Date: Oct 22, 2004 Attendance: 176
Weather: 92 degrees, wind SSE 5 mph
Goals by period
1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
North Texas......... 1 1 - 2
Louisiana-Lafayette. 1 0 - 1
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 11:36 UL Rasmussen, Lotte (6) (unassisted) - Rasmussen's
sixth goal of the season
2. 14:48 NT Georgas, Krista (1) (Ridenour, Caree)
3. 84:36 NT Pina, Melinda (Yates, Jamie)
Shots: North Texas 14, Louisiana-Lafayette 12
Saves: North Texas 2 (Buchanan, Briana 2),
Louisiana-Lafayette 5 (Malen, Kristen 4; TEAM 1)
Mean Green hand Cajuns first Sun Belt loss in 2004
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
