SEGUIN â€" A goal from Sioned Kirkpatrick early in the second half proved to be the difference, as the Bulldogs secured second place in the SCAC with a 1-0 home win over Schreiner on Friday.
 
After a scoreless first half, Kirkpatrick (San Antonio, Texas) gave the Bulldogs something to cheer about on Senior Day less than a minute into second-half play. She received a pass from Taylor Vatuna in the penalty box and knocked it in for her team-leading seventh goal of the year. It was Vatuna's (Cypress, Texas) second assist of the season.
 
The Bulldogs made that goal stand up behind a sterling defensive effort, limiting Schreiner to seven total shots and just two shots on goal. As mentioned, the win was huge for TLU, improving its SCAC mark to 8-4 (9-8-1 overall) and securing second place in the conference, giving the Bulldogs a bye into the semifinals of next week's SCAC Women's Soccer Championship in San Antonio.
 
The Bulldogs will gladly take the 1-0 win, but the margin of victory easily could have been larger as they outshot Schreiner 18-7. Just minutes after Kirkpatrick's goal, Maegan Idrogo (McAllen, Texas) hit the post on a shot that would have put TLU up two goals.
 
It was fitting that on Senior Day, senior goalkeeper Devin Crump (Texas City, Texas) earned the win for the Bulldogs. She came off the bench to start the second half and played the game's final 45 minutes.
 
Sophomore Erin Rose (San Antonio, Texas) started the game in goal for TLU. She made the Bulldogs' only two saves on the day.
 
Kirkpatrick led the team with four shots and two shots on goal. Twelve different players tallied at least one shot for the Bulldogs.
 
Now with the two seed in hand, the Bulldogs will focus on which team they will be playing in the semifinals of SCAC Championship. Last season, they advanced to the semifinals as well, eventually falling to Southwestern in a shootout. The quarterfinals are set to kick off Friday, Nov. 7. The semifinals will take place the next day.