University of North Texas
1-0-0, 0-0-0
LSU Alexandria
0-1-0, 0-0-0
Soccer Begins Campaign With 7-0 Win
2/21/2021 8:33:00 PM | Women's Soccer
The Mean Green (1-0), the six-time reigning Conference USA champions, out-shot the Generals 42-2 and put 24 of their 42 shots on target. They scored five of their seven goals in the second half.
Newcomer Connor Barker led the team with two goals. She scored the first goal of the match as well, doing so in the 11th minute. Her second goal came in the 82nd minute off an assist from sophomore Quincy Sheppard who recorded her first career point..
Joining Barker in the scoring was Berklee Peters (43rd minute), Taylor Hunter (59th minute), Allie Byrd (69th minute), Elle Marie DeFrain (70th minute) and Taylor Tufts (83rd minute).
While Barker and Tufts scored their first career goals at UNT on Sunday, Peters' goal was the 26th of her career and now moves her just four away from entering the top 10 in program history. Peters led the Mean Green last season in goals with 14. She was named preseason all-conference earlier this year.
Peters' goal on Sunday was the most impressive. The senior fired her shot from well over 35 yards out and it soared over the Generals' keeper's outstretched vertical hands as it curved into the top shelf.
Though she didn't score, junior Olivia Klein led the team with six shots and had a very high activity rate. The forward had a would-be goal denied by the first-half clock as the shot came just seconds after the buzzer but it beat the keeper.
Like Barker and Tufts, many newcomers for UNT made positive impressions. Freshman fullback Madi Starrett recorded an assist on Hunter's goal as she placed a corner kick perfectly into the box. Starrett also had an assist on Jan. 29 in her team's 1-0 exhibition win at Incarnate Word. Newcomer Hanna Banks assisted on Barker's first goal and freshmen Devyn Flannery and Allie Lyons combined for four shots and three on goal. Sophomore Briana Beaty who earned her first career start put two of her four shots on target.
UNT played Sunday's match just a day after playing an exhibition match at No. 9 Texas A&M. On Sunday, 10 of the 11 Mean Green starters had no career starts prior.
Sunday's match was played at nearby Louisiana College due to field conditions at LSUA after the recent storm.
With the win on Sunday, UNT extended its season-opener unbeaten streak to 15 in a row.
They'll be back in action on Feb. 28 at Texas State. First kick is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.
.
Team Stats
Connor Barker (2)
Assisted By: Hanna Banks
GOAL by UNT Barker, Connor Assist by Banks, Hanna.
11:04
Berklee Peters (1)
Assisted By: Taylor Hunter
GOAL by UNT Peters, Berklee Assist by Hunter, Taylor.
42:15
Taylor Hunter (1)
Assisted By: Madi Starrett
GOAL by UNT Hunter, Taylor Assist by Starrett, Madi.
58:14
Allie Byrd (1)
Assisted By: Haley Roberson
GOAL by UNT Byrd, Allie Assist by Roberson, Haley.
68:11
Elle Marie DeFrain (1)
Assisted By: Berklee Peters , Madi Starrett
GOAL by UNT DeFrain, Elle Marie Assist by Peters, Berklee and Starrett, Madi.
69:49
Connor Barker (2)
Assisted By: Mackenzie Stricklin , Hadley Williams
GOAL by UNT Barker, Connor Assist by Stricklin, Mackenzie and Williams, Hadley.
82:34
Taylor Tufts (1)
Assisted By: Mackenzie Stricklin
GOAL by UNT Tufts, Taylor Assist by Stricklin, Mackenzie.
83:09
