TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler earned a 1-1 draw against #9 DBU for the program's first result against a nationally-ranked opponent as a Division II program on Wednesday night.
Junior
Mackenzee Stokes answered an early goal from DBU in the 28
th minute to provide an equalizer that would prove vital throughout the rest of the match. UT Tyler stood strong defensively against one of Division II's best offensive sides, shutting DBU out following their goal in the 13
th minute of the match.
Sophomore
Emily Clark made six saves in her 90 minutes in net and the UT Tyler backline played a largely mistake-free second half to earn a second point in Lone Star Conference play.
The Patriots were not without chances of their own however, particularly in the early stages of the match, as they registered a trio of shot on goal attempts. Junior
Sydnee Garner put an early test on the DBU keeper in the 9
th minute of play just before the DBU goal to make it 1-0.
Stokes found the back of the net on the next shot attempt for the Patriots in the 28
th minute, taking a cross in from freshman
Sienna Skinlo and putting it past the out-stretched arms of the keeper. Stokes made a great turn on net after controlling the pass in from Skinlo to even the match up at 1-1.
It was a defensive battle from that point forward, as the UT Tyler defense stood strong, preventing another true chance despite 18 shot attempts by DBU. Clark came up big in net with six saves, including four in the second half alone.
The result brings UT Tyler's record to 2-2-4 on the year and 0-1-2 in Lone Star Conference play.
The draw comes against a DBU team that entered the night ranked no. 9 in the latest USC National Top 25 Coaches Poll, the first result for UT Tyler against a nationally-ranked foe in the Division II era.
All five shots in the match came off the foot of a different Patriot while Stokes, Garner and sophomore
Melissa Oliveira all registered shot on goal attempts.
UT Tyler will be back in action on Saturday afternoon with an 11 a.m. kick against UT Permian Basin on the road.