WICHITA, Kan. — Opening up after a tightly played first half, the Newman women's soccer team opened up its season and head coach Aaron Avila's Jet career with a pair of scores after intermission to earn a 2-0 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma State Thursday night at Wilkins Field.
KEY SEQUENCE
The first score of the game got the Jets (1-0 overall) rolling offensively, as the hosts started pouring on the offense against the Rangers (0-1 overall). After numerous chances at doubling its lead were squashed, Newman finally picked up the big insurance goal thanks to a perfectly timed pass from Rosa Urista-Chico in the 84th minute. Erin Mink finished off the play to put up the final score and get the Jets started with a victory.
SCORING PLAYS
50'-Newman- Madison Decker, unassisted. Decker won a ball from a defender inside the box, turned and slipped a low shot to the left past the keeper.
84'-Newman-Erin Mink, assist Rosa Urista-Chico. Urista-Chico lofted a ball over the defense from just past midfield, hitting Mink in stride. With only the goalkeeper to beat, Mink buried her shot in the back right corner of the net.
HOW IT HAPPENED
-There was little action in the first 20 minutes as each team tried to find their sea legs in the first real action of the season. NWOSU got off the first shot of the game in the 23rd minute, which was easily corralled by Newman keeper Kelsey Langley.
-The Jets got their first scoring chance exactly a minute later, and appeared to take an early lead when Urista-Chico put one by the Ranger goalie, but the junior was whistled offsides by a hair. It was a sign of good things to come though, as Newman rattled off six more shots in the first half while holding NWOSU without a chance.
-Decker's first goal of the season came minutes after Caitlin Davis and Paige Thompson each got off shots in the opening minutes of the second half. The Rangers got their two best chances to get on the board within the next ten minutes, the best of which was a curling free kick from the right wing that got Newman keeper Ashley Sweetnam to extend fully, knocking the shot off the crossbar and away from danger.
-Urista-Chico created some more dangerous chances for herself in between the hosts' two scores, including taking a cross from the right flank and turning it into two scoring chances. The first was thwarted by the keeper, and the junior pushed the rebound just wide of the post.
NOTES
-Urista-Chico fired off nine shots, which was six more than anyone else on the night. Five of those were on goal, though all five were saved.
-The victory pushed the Jets' winning streak to four games dating back to last season. It was the first time Newman won their season opener since 2013, though they are undefeated (3-0-2) in debuts over the past five years.
WHAT'S NEXT
Newman stays at home at Wilkins Field, hosting Missouri Southern in a 1 p.m. kickoff Saturday.
