CLARKSVILLE -
Sophomore Tatiana Ariza's hat trick gave Austin Peay State University women's
soccer team a 3-2 exhibition win against Saint Louis, Sunday, at Morgan
Brothers Soccer Field.
Ariza scored
all three goals in the second half. The first came in the 57th
minute off a nifty crossover, going to left to right, and firing a one-timer
past the diving Billiken keeper. She used a similar move in the 87th
minute for the gamewinner on a ball that was tracked down and recovered by
Natalia Ariza.
"I'm pleased
with the result," head coach Kelley Guth said. "Tatiana is a dangerous player
and we know that. It was good to see her get those goals today. At no point
were we behind in the game, but we have to learn that a team is always going to
fight back to beat you if you don't hold strong and maintain control of the
game. We have to work on that."
After a
blowout 5-0 win against Freed-Hardeman, Friday, the Lady Govs were tested,
Sunday, by a talented Saint Louis squad. Shortly after Tatiana scored the game's
first goal, the Billikens evened it up with a 64th minute goal. It
took less than a minute for Tatiana to put APSU on top again, as she was pulled
down in the box and awarded a penalty kick in the 65th minute.
Saint Louis
scored both their goals off set pieces, marking an emphasis for the Lady Govs
on which to improve. With a relatively new look in the defense - playing sophomore Emily Kink and junior
Sara Kluttz in the center, flanked by sophomore Corey Osborn, junior Renny Robinson and junior Stephanie Weider - Ausitn Peay had some weaknesses brought
to light by the Billikens.
"It was a
great matchup for us," Guth said. "They really challenged us and that's what we
wanted to get out of the preseason. They taught us some lessons on defending
set pieces. We have to work on our recovery, as far as defending, in those
situations. It was good to see how our team reacted under pressure."
Austin Peay
now turns its attention to its season-opening road trip beginning with a 4
p.m., Friday match at Alabama A&M.
-AP-
