RICHARDSON, Texas -- Texas Lutheran improved to 2-2-1 after a 4-3 victory over UT-Dallas Sunday afternoon at the UTD Soccer Complex in Richardson, Texas in the team's first matchup since 2012. The win is the first win for the Bulldogs over UT-Dallas since 2003 and the program's first win ever on the road against the Comets.
The Comets (1-3), who are amid their transition to NCAA Division-II, struck first with an eighth minute goal that would support a 1-0 Comets lead for the remaining 37 minutes of the opening half.
After seven shots came up empty in the first half, the Bulldogs would start the second half on fire - scoring four unanswered goals. Three of those goals came over the course of five minutes, with two by Klarissa Martinez (Houston/Incarnate Word Academy), to move ahead 4-1. UT-Dallas would score goals in the 64th and and 85th minutes to narrow the margin but the Bulldogs were able to hold on to maintain their advantage for the final five minutes.
The Bulldogs were unfazed by the early deficit. Klarissa Martinez, who netted two goals on Friday, scored the equalizer via a 47th-minute penalty kick. Three minutes later, the Bulldogs utilized their passing skills to perfection as Martinez fed Lilly Noblett (San Antonio/Warren) who would dish it to her fellow Warren Warrior alum, Alyssa Simien (San Antonio/Warren) for the go-ahead goal.
The Bulldogs increased their lead to 3-1 two minutes later as Simien fed Martinez for her second goal of the match and her fourth of the weekend. Simien and Martinez combined for seven goals and two assists this weekend.
After the course of excitement of that five-minute offensive explosion, Natalia Cortez (Edinburg/Robert Vela) would add a final bit of insurance in what would end up being the decisive, game winning goal in the 64th minute.
The Comets didn't go away quietly, scoring two goals to bring the game to its final score of 4-3.
TLU outshot UT-Dallas in the game 17-13 and had 10 shots on goal to the Comets six.
Alysa Marquez (Miami,FL/Dr. Michael Krop) made three saves on the afternoon for the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs return to Seguin to start a four-match homestand starting with an exhibition match against Division-II Texas A&M-International on Friday, Sept. 20 at 7:15 PM before returning to regular season non-conference play against #RV Mary Hardin-Baylor on Monday, Sept. 23. Both matches will stream on TLU+. All streaming and live stream links can be found on tlubulldogs.com.
For all updates on Texas Lutheran Women's Soccer, follow @tluwsoc on Twitter and Instagram and as always you can find updates on all Texas Lutheran athletics on tlubulldogs.com and all official TLU social media channels (@tluathletics on Twitter, @tlu_athletics on Instagram, and @tlubulldogs on Facebook).
