October 6, 2012
San Antonio – The Rattlers couldn’t build upon their two-game winning streak, losing their second straight as Dallas Baptist came out ahead Saturday in a 1-0 shutout after a lone goal slipped away.
The Rattlers (2-6-1, 1-3-1 in conference) were able to keep the Patriots (3-6-1, 1-3-1 in conference) steady for the entirety of the first half, keeping it at a 0-0 stalemate. St. Mary’s largely outshot Dallas Baptist, 8-2, in the first half but was unable to capitalize with a goal.
Whatever the pep talk was during halftime for the Patriots, it played an immediate effect in the second half, as Patriot Landon Lacy connected a mere two minutes in to bring them to a 1-0 lead.
The close-range, open shot proved to be the only one that mattered for the Patriots despite the Rattler defense holding them to just four shots for the game. The Patriot defense began to pick up the slack that allowed eight goal attempts in the first half to limit the Rattlers to only two shots in the second despite their continued charges and drives to the net.
In the lead and hoping for their first Heartland Conference victory, the Patriots drew a number of calls resulting in heightened aggressiveness from the Rattlers as they fought to remain in the game and bring a possible overtime. A yellow card was waved for Josh Stevens (RS-SO., San Antonio) in 86th minute to go along with the Rattlers’ 11 fouls in the second half, a sharp jump from their four fouls in the first.
The Patriots’ quick goal at the start of the half determined the victor of Saturday’s game as the Rattlers fell.
Six of the Rattlers’ 10 shots were on target with Jack Wolf (Fr., Richardson, Texas) leading with two. Stevens, Andrew Carrasco (Sr., Corpus Christi, Texas), Alexis Santamaria (Fr., San Antonio) and Aaron Stares (Sr., Swindon, England) all had one apiece.
St. Mary’s will play its second-to-last home game of the season Thursday against McMurry University at the Northside ISD Soccer Field at 3:30 p.m.