Corpus Christi, Texas – The fourth-seeded Central Arkansas Bears opened play in their third-straight Southland Conference Tournament appearance on Wednesday night, taking on fifth-seeded Houston Baptist at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's Jack Dugan Soccer Stadium. The Bears got a second-half strike from Maci Schoonover to defeat the Huskies 1-0 and earn their first postseason win at the Division I level.

The teams got the action started early in the first half, with a pair of Houston Baptist (7-7-3) corners leading to two dangerous attempts in the first six minutes. Central Arkansas (11-9-0) would get a shot on goal from Autum Schwartz in the fifth minute, before a rush of possession saw Stacia Carroll fire high, Dayna Mounie have a shot blocked, Ashley Smith hit the post, and Mounie miss just wide in a 95 second period. Mounie and Alex Moore would have attempts turned away by HBU keeper Alanis Guevara in the 23^rd and 24^th minutes, before a corner from Hadley Dickinson lead to a blocked shot from Schoonover in the 28^th. Camille Bassett and Dickinson each had a shot blocked in the 37^th minute, before Haylee Hulse fired high in the 39^th minute. The Huskies would get the final look of the first half, as Noor Abukishk got off a shot on goal, but UCA keeper Anna Hughes was able to make the save to send the match to the break tied at 0-0.

In the half, the Bears would outshoot the Huskies 11 to six and held a three to two advantage in shots on goal.

"This group just wants to keep fighting and keep working and keep trying to get better," said UCA head coach Jeremy Bishop. "It was kind of like this whole season has been, where we were having good chances and we were having the better run of play, but it just wasn't going. But that's not a time to quit, it's a time to keep fighting, and that's what we did and finally got it to go in the second half with a great goal."

The second half picked up where the first left off, as each team would get a pair of shots over the first 13 minutes. The Bears would threaten in the 69^th minute, as Bassett had a shot blocked and Anika Sultan fired high after collecting the rebound. After an HBU foul set up a free kick, Moore played a cross along the ground through the box to Jordan Slim, who let the ball slide through her legs to Schoonover. A Husky defender bit on the decoy by Slim, and Schoonover took advantage, burying a shot from six yards out to give the Bears a 1-0 lead in the 74^th minute.

"What we thought we could do tonight, which we do a lot, is get around the edge," said Bishop. "Alex made a great run down the side, played a great ball across and beat the closest center back and Jordan dummied it and let it go through. Maci was there on the back side, which is where she's supposed to be, and hit a great shot. To put it on frame, below the bar, from there, is going to be tough for the keeper."

The Houston Baptist attack kicked into high-gear over the remaining 16 minutes, with the Huskies pressing forward in search of an equalizer, but the Central Arkansas defense proved up to the task, continually getting a touch to knock a ball wide or clearing a deep pass to reset the attack. Despite the increased pressure, the Bears allowed just two shots in the final 16 minutes. Keeper Lauren Mercuri came up big in the 86^th minute, when HBU's Avery Cortez found some space in the box and fired a laser from the right wing, only to be thwarted by Mercuri, who reached up and snatched the shot out of the air as it sailed overhead.

"Two shutouts against Houston Baptist is impressive," said Bishop. "They're a good team, they have a lot of firepower, and to be able to do it twice is big. The defense is really coming together well. They're covering up for each other well and making it really hard for teams to mount much of an attack. I think over the last five games we've given up one goal, so if we can keep doing that and continue to create opportunities, then I think we'll be a tough out."

Central Arkansas returns to action on Friday night at 7:00 PM, squaring off with either top-seeded Lamar or eighth-seeded Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The winner will advance to the Southland Conference Tournament championship match, which is set for 1:05 PM on Sunday.

"If it's Lamar, if it's Corpus, it doesn't really make an difference to us," said Bishop of the Bears' next match. "We just want to be ready to play mentally and physically, so tomorrow we'll take a lot of time to rest. We'll get out early and to a bit of light training and recovery, and then get our focus on getting ready to play."