Strater Goal Leads St. Mary´s Men´s Soccer Past TAMIU

Date: 2009-10-02     Author: Derek Smolik
SAN ANTONIO--Sean Strater scored just 35 seconds into overtime, lifting St. Mary's University to an exciting 2-1 victory over Texas A&M International University in Heartland Conference men's soccer action Friday afternoon at St. Mary's University Soccer Field.
 
The overtime session had barely started when Strater (Jr., Carrollton) lined up for a direct free kick from just inside midfield on the TAMIU side of the field. He sent a bullet into the Dustdevil penalty area, which was deflected by a TAMIU defender and over the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Luis Rincon for the game-winner. The goal was Strater's first of the season and fourth of his Rattler career.
 
The Rattlers took the lead in the first half when Strater sent a throw-in into the penalty area that was headed on by Joseph Diaz (Jr., San Antonio) to Robson Pritchett (Jr., McKinney), who one-touched it into the back of the net for a 1-0 Rattler lead.
 
That was where things would stay for the next 74 minutes. With just 4:13 left in the match, Soamy Bautista sent a cross into the penalty area that deflected off a St. Mary's defender and went in to tie the game at 1-1.
 
Both teams took 11 shots in the game. Brett Collier (Sr., Schertz) picked up the win in net for the Rattlers, making five saves. Rincon made six saves for TAMIU.
 
With the win, St. Mary's improved to 4-5-1 overall and 2-1-1 in Heartland Conference play. The Rattlers have won two straight games. TAMIU suffered its first HC loss of the season and is now 3-4-2 overall, 3-1-1 in HC play. St. Mary's will hit the road to face the University of the Incarnate Word on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.
 
 Texas A&M-Inter. (3-4-2, 3-1-1) vs. St. Mary's (Texas) (4-5-1, 2-1-1)
 Date: Oct 02, 2009  Attendance: 300
 Weather: Cloudy and Breezy, Temp: Low 80s
 Goals by period       1  2 OT  Tot
 ----------------------------------
 Texas A&M-Inter.....  0  1  0 -  1
 St. Mary's (Texas)..  1  0  1 -  2
 
 SCORING SUMMARY:
  1.  11:31 STMU Robson Pritchett (2) (Sean Strater;Joseph Diaz) - Throw-in crossed to the middle, tapped in
  2.  85:47 TAMIU Soamy Bautista (1) (unassisted) - Shot from right side, deflected into net off defender
  3.  90:35 STMU Sean Strater (1) (unassisted) - Free kick from 40 yards out, off defender head into net
 Shots: Texas A&M-Inter. 11, St. Mary's (Texas) 11
 Saves: Texas A&M-Inter. 6 (Luis Rincon 6), St. Mary's (Texas) 5 (Brett
 Collier 5)