The early concession of a goal did little to deter the Blinn College women’s soccer team, which rallied to defeat Texas Southmost College 5-1 in a Region XIV tilt Friday at Rankin Field inside Hohlt Park in Brenham, Texas.
The Buccaneers’ surge of unanswered offense propelled them to a 9-2 overall record as their record-setting season continued. The nine wins are the most in Blinn’s almost six seasons of NJCAA soccer with four regular-season matches remaining. The Bucs are 6-1 in the region, which bests their previous high of five conference wins in a single season. Blinn is also 6-0 at home and is riding a four-match winning streak.
(Pictured: Blinn’s Emeyda Cruz fires a shot for a goal during a game against Texas Southmost College on Sept. 29, 2023)
The Bucs’ latest victory did not come without a bit of adversity, as the visiting Scorpions got on the board first in the third minute of play. Blinn would respond quickly with a goal from sophomore midfielder Brianna Hoffman scored in the eighth minute. Freshman midfielder Elizabeth Carnes assisted on the play.
“We started off slow, and because of that we were down a goal three minutes into the game. The players showed mental fortitude to then answer that goal with a goal,” Blinn head coach Alexandria Jackson said. “In the second half, we made the adjustments necessary to end the game on a high note. We’re happy to get the result, but our performance needs to be better against our tough opponents in the South Division.”
The Bucs took the lead for good when sophomore forward Emeyda Cruz fielded a give from freshman midfielder Annika Murdoch and netted it from long distance in the 35th minute. Cruz later provided an assist to freshman forward Paola Brizuela Razo on a goal in minute 38.
(Pictured: Blinn’s Paola Brizuela Razo kicks the ball toward the Texas Southmost College goal during a match Sept. 29, 2023)
Freshman forward Marissa Aparicio took an assist from Carnes and gave the Bucs a 4-1 lead in the 42nd minute. Murdoch closed out the scoring in the second half when she tallied an unassisted goal in the 52nd minute.
The Bucs outshot Texas Southmost 18-2 and held a 4-0 edge in corner kicks.
Freshman goalkeeper Madison Ortiz started and made two saves in 45 minutes of play, and fellow freshman netminder played the final 45 minutes and also collected a pair of saves.
Blinn resumes its season with a region road match at Jacksonville College at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3, in Jacksonville, Texas.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 44 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
