Shreveport, La. – The Centenary women's soccer team remained undefeated and continued the best start in program history with a 2-1 victory over the University of Dallas Crusaders on Sunday afternoon at Mayo Field.
The Ladies (8-0) improved to 4-0 at home and have outscored their last five opponents 14-4 and continue to sit atop the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference standings and are the only undefeated team remaining in the conference. Centenary has a 23-8 advantage in goals scored this season against its competition and the Ladies have allowed one goal or less in six of their eight matches.
The Crusaders took an early 1-0 lead with a goal just 1:44 into the match by Monica O'Donnell and that lead held until halftime. The Ladies, despite not finding the net in the first half, were aggressive on offense as they took eight shots.
Centenary senior midfielder Migui Boldrin (Ribeiaro, Brazil) tied the game with a dazzling goal at the 64:32 mark of the second half off an assist from freshman forward Sydney Bascomb (Mesquite, Texas). Boldrin struck again in the 85th minute off an assist from Betza Carmona (Katy, Texas) and stuck a header in the back of the net and past the Crusaders' keeper Olivia Severson for a 2-1 lead. Bascomb notched her sixth assist of the season and leads the conference in the category.
Boldrin, a transfer, has scored a team-leading nine goals this season. Three of Boldrin's goals this season have been game winners and she has a pair of multi-goal games to her credit. In Centenary's three matches this week, Boldrin has scored four goals and had two assists as she makes a bid for her second SCAC Offensive Player of the Week honor.
"In a game that had its emotional ups and downs, I thought we responded well from giving up the early goal to get the win," said Ladies' head coach Greg Cathell. "We defended the middle third much better in the second half and fully commited to simple soccer in the offensive third to get both the equalizer and game winner."
The Maroon and White took 21 shots on Sunday to just eight for the Crusaders including a 13-4 advantage in the second half. Freshman goalkeeper Karlie Delhommer (St. Amant, La.) played all 90 minutes and collected her eighth win of the season and made one save.
"Betza Bravo and Sydney Bascomb had brilliant assists while Migui (Boldrin) was the difference maker for us yet again. We're honored to be where we are at 8-0 this season but need to be prepared for a tough Johnson and Wales team next Friday."
The Ladies will be back at home next Friday as Centenary opens SCAC play versus Johnson and Wales in a match set for 5 p.m. at Mayo Field. Centenary then hits the road for the first time in several weeks as they face Schreiner on Oct. 11 and Trinity on Oct. 13. #CTheOpportunity
