It took 76 minutes to break the silence in Tuesday evening’s non-conference matchup between the Bryan College women’s soccer team and the visiting Life University, but the breakaway was all the Running Eagles needed to help put an end to the contest. The back and forth bout, which saw both sides strategizing at halftime in search of the initial score, changed when Life capitalized at 76:30. Just over ten minutes later, the same exact trio from the Running Eagles who were the first to create a score, made it happen again at 87:14 to pull away and eventually secure the 2-0 shutout of Bryan.
The physicality played into Life’s strengths, as the Running Eagles tallied 15 fouls compared to the Lion’s four committed. The pressure was handled well though, as each team produced eight shots apiece. Makena Giles led the way for Bryan in shots, recording four with one on target. Johanna Rappe, Abby Sweatman, Mya Patel, and Anna Sanders finished with one shot, respectively. Caragan Treola guarded the goal for the Lions and corralled three saves through a complete 90 minutes.
Bryan was quick to turn on the heat as the opening half got underway, with Patel rattling off a shot just 52 seconds into the game. In the second and third minutes, both Giles and Sweatman saw an opportunity and went for it, but the ball would travel wide and high, keeping the match scoreless. During the 15th-minute, the home crowd held their breath when Giles created separation and delivered a strike that struck the crossbar. The Lions would register one more shot through the next 30-minute stretch, but each team was still empty handed as they entered the break.
Giles took it to Life again in the second half, generating another clean look that left Life’s goalkeeper glad when it went wide of the post. Sanders was the first Bryan player to put a shot on goal during the latter period. In the 76th-minute, the Running Eagles used a combination of Elin Josefsson and Katelynn Harbeke to get the ball to a streaking Isabela Solorzano-Sierra who capitalized on the chance, putting her team out in front 1-0. Three minutes later, Giles had Bryan’s only other shot on target of the half, but Sydney Young snagged the ball, bringing her total to two saves on the day. It was in the 87th-minute that Life ended all hope with an insurance goal, when Josefsson found an open Harbeke who led Solorzano-Sierra with a perfect pass out in front of the defender, setting her up for her second goal of the match.
The loss dropped Bryan’s overall mark to 1-2, while Life captured their first win of the season to improve their overall record to 1-1.
The Lions will have a two-day break before traveling to Lebanon, Tenn. for their first road game of the year, coming against Mid-South Conference opponent, 19th-ranked Cumberland University who are a perfect 3-0. The match between the Lions and Phoenix on Aug. 31 will kickoff at 2pm.