The match marked the 14th time the two teams have met in competition as the Lady Toppers now are on a three-game winning streak against the Mean Green. With an overall record against North Texas of 5-8-1.
"Tonight was an important win. It is important for our young team to start to figure out how to win those games where you have to grind them out," head coach Jason Neidell stated. "A lot of times when you play a game where you have to grind it out against North Texas it favors North Texas and tonight our young team figured out how to get the win. North Texas is a great team, a relentless, tough team especially on lose balls and 50-50 challenges, it was good to see our ladies up to the challenge."
The Lady Toppers opened the first half allowing North Texas to have the first two shots of the match, with two saves by WKU goalkeeper Libby Stout. WKU and North Texas battled back-in-forth in the first half with North Texas posting 12 shots over the Lady Toppers eight in the first half. Stout made six big saves with one huge save in the 30th minute of action that she deflected off to keep the game knotted 0-0 going into the half.
The two teams fought hard going into the second half. North Texas fired off three shots before the Lady Toppers had a chance. WKU battled hard and took control scoring the first goal as Lady Topper Mallory Outerbridge took a pass in front of the net and found Christen Sims on the left side of goal, passed it off where Sims drilled it in the net, for her first goal of the season. The assist by Outerbridge was her third of the season.
With the 1-0 advantage WKU played tough defense and grinded out the half to keep the Mean Green from scoring. Stout made three big saves following the WKU goal to earn the shutout. WKU earned the shutout as North Texas outshot the Lady Toppers 20-16. WKU had six shots on goal. Leading the Lady Toppers was Sims with the lone goal. Lindsay Williams posted four shots with two on goal, Laura Ray tallied three shots, while Outerbridge and Sydney Sisler each had two shots in the match.
WKU goalkeeper Libby Stout played the entire 90-minute match with 11 saves, six in the first half and five in the second. Stout earned her third shutout of the season and now has 24 shutouts in her career.
Up Next: The 2010 WKU Lady Topper soccer team (3-3-2, 1-0 SBC) will host Denver at the WKU Soccer Complex Sunday afternoon, for a 1:00 PM Sun Belt Conference match.
