UAPB Rolls Into Semis with Dominant Win
SWAC.org
ALEXANDRIA, LA - The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff (14-4-1) scored quick, then opened up in the second half en route to a 4-0 win over Alabama State (2-17-1) in the first game of the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament. With the win, the Lady Lions advanced to the semifinals to face Southern/Alcorn State on Friday at 3:30 p.m.
The Lady Lions wasted little time getting on the board as Reaghan Zilkie scored in the second minute (1:34) of the game. All-SWAC picks Silvia Fuentes and Molly Stone assisted on the play as UAPB took an early 1-0 lead.
Alabama State was able to keep UAPB in check the rest of the half, but the Lady Lions got untracked and added three more goals in the final 45 minutes to blow the game open.
Fuentes, the SWAC leading scorer and Offensive Player of the Year, added to her season totals by scoring UAPB's second goal. She took a pass from Nicole Parks-Powell and firing a shot past ASU keeper Kylee Hathaway in the 61st minute (60:25) to give the Lady Lions a 2-0 lead.
Five minutes later (65:36), All-SWAC first teamer Rachel Harker fired a laser shot from the top of the box just over a leaping Hathaway and under the crossbar into the back of the net for the Lady Lions' third goal.
Reserve midfielder Austen Keithley capped the scoring for UAPB with a goal in the 83rd minute (82:33). Fellow reserves Jade West and Emily Antoku combined with assists.
UAPB keeper and SWAC Freshman of the Year Meaghan Storie spent a lonely day on the defensive end as her teammates allowed only one shot total. Meanwhile, UAPB had 25 shots, 13 on-goal for the game.