SOC Opens Season with 4-2 Win Over Northwestern State

Sunday, August 25

Waco, TX

4 p.m.

Baylor

0-0-0, 0-0-0

Northwestern State

0-0-1, 0-0-0

Northwestern St.

Baylor

Photo by: Baylor Photography

SOC Opens Season with 4-2 Win Over Northwestern State

8/25/2019 7:22:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score BOX SCORE

Paul Jobson is one win shy of tying the program record in coaching victories

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            Even after 14^th-ranked Baylor soccer scored its most goals in nearly a year, Paul Jobson knows the Bears have plenty to clean up after Sunday's 4-2 season-opening win over Northwestern State.
            "Defensively, we weren't as good as we needed to be today, for sure," said Jobson, who picked up his 77^thcareer victory to move within one of the program record set by his wife, Marci Jobson. "The second half was better than the first, but we have some things we need to do better."
            Baylor finished with dominating edges in shots (16-6), shots on goal (10-3) and corner kicks (7-1), but the defense was particularly shaky in the first 15 minutes when the visiting Lady Demons (0-2-0) got off four of their six shots.
            "I don't know what it was the first half – if it was first-game nerves or what it was – but I think we got some out of that out at halftime and came back and played better the second half," Jobson said. "Again, there were some little letdowns that we've got to correct."
            The Bears missed on a couple opportunities in the first 10 minutes, but they got on the board in the 14^thminute when senior forward Camryn Wendlandt peppered the back-left corner of the net off an assist from Ally Henderson.
             Like Jobson, Wendlandt said the Bears (1-0-0) "have a lot to work on" after Sunday's game.
            "If we were where we needed to be first game of the year, it would be a little concerning," said Wendlandt, who scored her 13^thcareer goal. "It gives us a good look for the rest of the season. I'm proud of the effort, mostly, but definitely areas where we need to improve."
            Wendlandt had a crossing pass to freshman Michaela Gorman, who rocketed it past Northwestern State goalkeeper Acalya Aydogmus for a 2-0 lead going into the halftime break.
            "I really can't take credit for it, that's all my team doing the hard work just being in the right place at the right time," Gorman said. "That's something we've been working on in practice. (Wendlandt) saw me and dropped it. It's just something we've been practicing."
            Senior Raegan Padgett had more shots than the Lady Demons (7-6), including four on goal, and finally cashed in when she launched a shot from 19 feet out for her first goal of the season and 13^thof her career.
            Baylor completely controlled the field of play through the first 35 minutes of the second half, with a 6-0 edge in shots.
            Fouled by Northwestern State's Ti Krumme near the top of the penalty box, junior transfer Eva Mitchell from Kentucky rifled in the penalty kick to extend the Bears' lead to 4-0 with just over seven minutes left in the game.
            "It's great to see that we can get some goals from other places, and good to see that Cam has picked up where she left off, and Raegan as well," Jobson said. "But first and foremost, defensively we've got to be better, knowing that we can score some goals. But, there were some other opportunities that we weren't as sharp as we needed to be, either. Just some runs that we need to make better and give ourselves better opportunities to score."
            With starting goalkeeper Jen Wandt out, backup keepers Maggie Burton and freshman Maya Bellomo combined on a shutout through the first 83 minutes.
            But, it was in those last seven minutes, that the Lady Demons got on the board twice. Kiara Padilla made the Bears pay for a defensive lapse, when she launched a shot from 19 yards out that went just over the grasp of Bellomo and nestled in the net for Northwestern State's first goal of the season.
            Then, when freshman Marissa Gray was called for a foul just inside the penalty box area, Olivia Draguicevich won the one-on-one battle with Bellomo and ripped her penalty kick to the left corner to trim the deficit to 4-2.
            Gorman, who also scored in Baylor's 2-0 exhibition victory over Texas State last Saturday, said Jobson's message to the team was that "you'll make mistakes, but that's the only way that you'll get better."
            Baylor takes to the road next to play four games in 10 days, starting with a matchup against Drake (0-2) at 7 p.m. Friday in Des Moines, Iowa.

THE RUNDOWN
WACO, Texas – No. 14 Baylor defeated Northwestern State, 4-2, in its season opener Sunday afternoon at Betty Lou Mays Field. The Bears have started eight of the last nine seasons with victories.

Baylor was aggressive from the start as the Bears had a pair of corner kicks and three shots, two of which were on goal, in the first 10 minutes of action. It wasn't long after that when Baylor got on the board.

Senior Camryn Wendlandt netted the first goal of the season for the Bears in the 14^th minute. Junior Ally Henderson passed the ball ahead to Wendlandt who received the ball in the box and netted the ball in the back-left corner of the net.

Freshman Michaela Gorman added to Baylor's lead with a goal of her own in the 33^rd minute. The freshman received a cross from Wendlandt and booted it in with her left foot for her first career goal.

What proved to be the game winner for the Bears came a mere three minutes into the second half of play. Senior Raegan Padgett launched a shot from about 19 feet out for her first goal of the season.

Things got interesting in the final 10 minutes of action. Baylor's Eva Mitchell drew a foul inside the penalty box area to gain a penalty kick. The junior transfer from Kentucky made the most of the opportunity and recorded her first career goal in a Baylor jersey.

Northwestern State, which had four shots in the first 14 ½ minutes, didn't get another shot off until the final seven minutes of the match. The Lady Demons scored a pair of goals – one from 18 yards out by Kiara Padilla and the second off a PK by Olivia Draguicevich.

HIGHLIGHTS

Baylor is 16-6-1 all-time in season openers. Under the Jobsons, BU is 8-3-1 in season openers.
Six Bears made their Baylor debuts – Mitchell, along with freshmen Tara Sumer, Elizabeth Kooiman, Maya Bellomo, Marissa Gray and Gorman.
Senior Maggie Burton and Bellomo split time in goal for the Bears as Burton took the first half and Bellomo took the second half.
BU held a 7-1 advantage in corner kicks and 16-6 edge in shots.

STAT OF THE GAME
4 – Number of goals scored by the Bears, which marked the most since Baylor netted six in a 6-0 win over Nebraska on Sept. 2, 2018.

TOP QUOTES
Paul Jobson on the match…
"I thought we played a better second half than we did the first half. A bad mistake on the weak side gave up what was really a fantastic goal. The girl scored a great goal from the right side. And then a PK that I think was probably a makeup call from the PK that we got that probably wasn't a PK, either. But, they scored two goals. I think we gave up a little bit too much. Defensively, we weren't as good as we needed to be today, for sure. The second half was better than the first, but we have some things we need to do better."

Camryn Wendlandt on the season opener…
"I don't feel good about it - we have a lot to work on. If we were where we needed to be first game of the year, it would be a little concerning. It gives us a good look for the rest of the season."

Michaela Gorman on her first career goal…
"I really cannot take credit for it. That's all my team doing the hard work and me being in the right place at the right time. Just putting in the work, that's all."