University of Houston
UAB
Soccer Handed 5-0 Defeat By UAB
10/14/2007 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Oct. 14, 2007
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HOUSTON - UAB scored four goals in the second half to knock of the University of Houston soccer team 5-0, Sunday in Conference USA action on John O'Quinn Field at Robertson Stadium.
Houston (4-7-1, 0-3 C-USA) has worked through some offensive struggles of late, but the attack is showing signs of life as Brittney Pfeiffer (Sugar Land, Texas/Stephen F. Austin HS) and Christine Nieva (Mesquite, Texas/North Mesquite HS) both saw extensive minutes in their return from injury.
"It's been frustrating," head coach Susan Bush said. "The team has worked its butt off lately and we're starting to see the results on the field. If a couple of balls bounce differently, it's a whole different game."
Goalkeeper Shelby Scott (Mesquite, Texas/North Mesquite HS) made five saves on the day and is fast approaching a UH milestone. Scott is four saves from tying Michelle Denomme's all-time saves record of 188.
UAB (5-6-1, 1-2 C-USA) got a pair of goals from Sally Palmer which helped snap the team's six-game losing streak.
Palmer scored the eventual game winner in the 10th minute of the match. Off a throw in, she took the ball, dribbled through the defense and shot from the right side of the box past a diving Scott and into the lower left corner of the net.
The Cougars had nine shots in the game and two on goal, coming from Stephanie Booker (Round Rock, Texas/Stony Point HS) and Maegan Kiphart (Parker, Colo./Chaparral HS). The two shots on goal were scooped up by UAB `keeper Kate Blankenship.
UAB tallied 10 shots in the first half and 11 in the second. The UH defense shut the Blazers down for a span of nearly an hour, but Danya Barsalona and Jill Porto tallied goals 70 seconds apart to slam the door on a UH comeback.
Barsalona headed a Jenny Meyer corner kick into the upper right corner of the net and Porto scored off a ball played up by Allison Auchter and Caitlin Marple.
Justine Hartigan added a goal in the 84th minute when Morgan Haney found her open in space in the midfield after a throw-in from Palmer. Hartigan took it up the middle and sent it to the back of the net.
Palmer added her second goal in the 89th minute after heading a Toni Gockel corner kick over two UH defenders and into the goal.
Houston will hit the road for its next four games, starting off with East Carolina at 3 p.m. CDT Friday before heading to Huntington, W.Va. for a 1 p.m. Sunday matchup with Marshall. The road trip closes out at Tulsa and SMU on Oct. 26 and 28, respectively.
