Houston, Texas – The Central Arkansas women's soccer team continued its three match road trip on Friday night taking on the Houston Baptist Huskies at Sorrels Field in Houston, Texas. The Bears remained unbeaten in Southland Conference play on the night, taking down the Huskies 1-0.

Central Arkansas (11-3-1, 6-0-1 SLC) dominated the first half, limiting the Huskies to a single shot, which was fired wide in the 11^th minute. The Bears took just three shots in the period, but made the most of them, putting two on frame and getting the game's only goal in the 25^th minute. Junior Dayna Mounie played a ball to the back post for Alex Moore, who slid a pass between HBU keeper Alanis Guevara and a defender to sophomore Ashley Smith, who knocked it home from close range to give the Bears a 1-0 lead with her eighth goal of the season.

"Ashley is having such a huge year, getting goals and assists for us," said UCA head coach Jeremy Bishop. "But she also does a really good job of holding the ball up for our team. She can get the ball at her feet from the midfielders and slow up the attack to give us time to make runs, which has been a big part of our offense this season."

Houston Baptist took advantage of the half time break, storming out of the gates to put up seven shots in the first 15 minutes of the half. UCA keeper Lauren Mercuri was up to the task however, stopping all five shots that the Huskies put on target during the barrage. From the 65^th minute on, the Bears reasserted control, limiting HBU to just one shot over the match's final 30 minutes.

"The first half was our game," said Bishop. We were able to limit them to almost nothing while creating some good chances for ourselves. But the second half was the other was around. They pressured us really hard and created some really good scoring chances, especially early in the half. Lauren made a couple of saves that I'm just not sure how she did it, because they were just incredible saves. She was a difference-maker for us tonight."

On the night, Central Arkansas collected three shots on goal, getting two from Smith and one from sophomore Camille Bassett. In goal, junior Anna Hughes went untested during the first half, while Mercuri made five saves in the second half as the Bears picked up their ninth shutout of the season.

Central Arkansas closes out its road trip on Sunday, heading to Corpus Christi, Texas to take on the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders at 1:00 PM.

"It's going to be about our work rate," said Bishop of his team's match with the Islanders, who currently sit at the bottom of the Southland table. "That's how you avoid slumps; you make sure your level of intensity and your work rate are above those of the other team. We have to work hard, press, and have to be sure to generate chances. Even though Corpus Christi is having a bit of a down year, they've won two games in a row, beating Incarnate Word last weekend and knocking off Northwestern State tonight, so we have make sure we don't give them the chance to keep that streak going."