SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The McNeese women's soccer team played even with C-USA member UTSA in a Friday night shootout but came up just short to the Roadrunners who scored a 4-3 victory.
 
The Cowgirls (1-4) were a force to be reckoned with throughout the match with an aggressive offense that witnessed two Cowgirls record their first career goals while another member logged her first career assist.
 
"Tonight was an exciting match-up between both teams," said head coach Scooter Savoie. "Our team show a lot of courage and were tough throughout the whole match. We have needed to find the back of the net and we broke the ice tonight with three goals. We showed a lot of resolve tonight."
 
UTSA (3-1) struck first in the 19th minute when Anissa Munson headed in a goal off of a Roadrunner corner kick for her second goal of the season and also gave her team a 1-0 lead.
 
McNeese responded in the 26th minute of the first half as Savannah LaRicci took advantage of a steal from the UTSA keeper and scored her first goal of the season to tie the contest up 1-1. The goal also broke a three-match scoreless streak that began on Aug. 24.
 
Kauwela Neal helped put UTSA back in the lead following a goal from the left wing that passed over the head of Cowgirls goalkeeper Annie Bravenec. Both teams went to intermission with a 2-1 Roadrunners lead.
 
Following the intermission, McNeese came out firing on all cylinders and scored a pair of goals to take a 3-2 lead. Freshman Nickie Schaaf tied the match in the 52nd minute with her first career goal, which was scored off a deflection that followed a corner shot. Junior Sarah Bricker was credited with the assist.
 
Freshman Gabi D'Alesandro followed with her first career goal in the 55th minute that rocketed over the keeper's head form the left wing to give McNeese a 3-2 lead.
 
I was really happy to see both Gabi and Nickie score their first goals tonight," said Savoie. "We look forward to what they are able to bring to our team as the season progresses."
 
UTSA's Charlotte Husoe and Kaja Skare used goals in the 60th and 64th minute to help the Roadrunners rally past the Cowgirls in the final minutes of the match. Husoe scored off a rebound from a free kick while Skare broke the tie off of a header in the box.
 
The Cowgirls created numerous opportunities to score as they finished the night with eight total shots, including seven shots on goal and five corner kicks. UTSA countered with 17 shots of their own, including 13 shots on goal and five corner kicks.
 
"We did a great job of attacking and putting pressure on UTSA throughout the match," said Savoie. Unfortunately, we ran out of time, but I am proud of the way we played tonight.
 
McNeese will return home on Friday, Sept. 12 to take on Southern in a match slated to kick off at 7 p.m. They follow with a match against ULM on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Cowgirl Field.