DELAND, Fla. – A goal in each half and a clutch defensive performance late led the Central Arkansas women's soccer team to a 2-0 win over Stetson Thursday night. It led the Bears one step closer to locking up the No. 1 seed in the ASUN this season.
Central Arkansas improved to 8-5-2 overall and 7-0-2 in ASUN matches with the win.
Kelly Van Gundy and
Kayla Hurley scored the goals for the Bears, who have continued to play well since the turn of conference.
Van Gundy got the scoring going early, needing less than ten minutes to find the first goal of the match. It marked the sixth conference match with a goal, and her eighth goal overall this season.
Brianna Lopez found the senior for the score, adding her third assist of the season.
The defense, playing without senior
Gabby Thies, stepped up big-time in the first half, leaving the Hatters without a shot on goal for over 40 minutes of the first half. When the home team did finally find a pair before the half,
Kajsa Pruner shut them down, sending the Bears into the break up 1-0.
The second half started a little chippy, with a few fouls going against Central Arkansas that eventually resulted in a PK for the Hatters. Presented with a great opportunity to equalize, the Stetson player missed everything, keeping the home team off the board.
Anna Kerr nearly doubled the lead in the 66
th, putting a terrific shot on goal, but the Stetson keeper was able to stay in front of it.
Jama Akpanudo followed suit a few minutes later, but her shot was also saved.
With under ten minutes to go, it was the Bears' turn to get fouled in the box, setting Central Arkansas up for a PK. Hurley, the former Gatorade Player of the Year, stepped up and lined up a shot, then knocked it down, giving the Bears a 2-0 lead with under eight minutes to go. Pruner and the defense made one last big defensive stand in the final minute of the match, and Central Arkansas held on for its third shutout of the season.
Up next is a duel for essentially, the top spot in the ASUN Championship. On Sunday, Central Arkansas and Florida Gulf Coast, the top-two seeds as of tonight, battle it out in Fort Myers. The winner will take over the number one seed, and for the Bears, permanently. Kickoff against the Eagles is set for 12 p.m. CT.
