The UTEP soccer team faced Stephen F. Austin in the Championship Game of Border Shootout where they fell 2-1 in double overtime on at University Field.

Ladyjacks forward Chelsea Raymond broke free of the defense and with a low cross shot help Stephen F. Austin seal the victory.

After defeating UC-Riverside on Friday Sept. 6, 2-0, he Miners returned back to University Field to face their next opponent Stephen F. Austin. a school which they have only played seven times before. The Miners took 11 shot of which only three were on target.  and a score late in double overtime by SFA forward Chelsea Raymond that caused UTEP to fall in over-time.

“It was a tough game, I think the players gave everything they had out there,” said UTEP coach Kevin Cross. “We were called for a lot of fouls and maybe we stepped back a little too much in the second half, but I think our team has grown a lot in these first six games, even with the loss in double overtime they were a better team today.”

Both teams stuggled to create chances in the first half, it was until the last minute of the first half were senior midfielder Azia Nicholson stole the ball from SFA defender Meghan Corder off a goal kick and found herself all alone with the goalie and placed her shot on the right side of the goal to give the Miners a 1-0 lead with only 57 seconds before the half.

“We were playing some very great possessions, I thought that was one of the best possessions we have had this preseason,” Nicholson said. “It just so happened on that particular possession we were able to hold and finish.”

However, Nicholson’s goal would not be enough to hold SFA defensively in the second half, In the 72nd minute the Ladyjacks midfielder Kelly Craig got a rebound of a corner and took a shot that ended in the upper right corner of the goal leaving junior goalie Sarah Dilling with no chance.

In the 84th minute the Ladyjacks managed to take a shot that Dilling saved and with the goal wide open the second effort went just off the target, the game ended in a 1-1 draw in regulation.

The crucial moment of the match came in with less than three minutes remaining as the Ladyjacks winning-goal came from a long pass from midfielder Zuri Prince to Raymond who appeared to be in offside position, but there was no call from the officials and Reymond drove the ball down to the box to score and win the match.

“It is tough to give up a goal in the last minute of the first half,” said Stephen F. Austin head coach Wally Crittenden. “We lost focus, it was disappointing, but our girls rallied up they continued to push and compete and we were fortunate to capitalize in the last opportunity but it could have gone either way and I’m really proud of my players and also to UTEP who had a great game, they are going to be very successful this year, no doubt.”

The UTEP Miners will now go on the road were they will face Houston Baptist, Texas State, Northern Arizona, and Southern Utah before returning home Sept. 27 to face Rice in their Conference USA opener at University Field.

Ellisia Shafer can be reached at [email protected]