SEARCY, ARK. – UT Tyler completed non-conference play unbeaten and matched the best start to a season in program history with a 1-0 victory over Harding on Saturday morning.

Graduate student Samaris Alvarado provided the difference in the match, putting home a beautiful through-ball connection from Hana Masuko and Natalie Jones in the 48^th minute. That quick score coming out of the halftime break was all UT Tyler needed for their fifth straight game on a hot and humid morning in Searcy, Ark.

The Patriots stand 5-0 through the non-conference portion of their schedule, matching the 2022 team for the best start in UT Tyler women's soccer history, and will now shift their focus to Lone Star Conference play beginning Wednesday evening at home against St. Edward's. UT Tyler has out-scored their opposition by a 21-to-1 margin so thus this season.

A scoring offense that entered Saturday's match ranked second in all of Division II women's soccer in goals per game at 5.00 took a backseat to a hard-working defensive effort for the Patriots. Emily Clark and Robbi Curry each played a half in goal, combining for the clean sheet and five saves on the five efforts on net for the Lady Bisons.

UT Tyler put up six shots in the opening 45 minutes of play, including a pair on target from Alyssa Palisi and Alvarado. Alvarado quickly got going in the second half as well, tapping in a through-ball connection from Hana Masuko and Natalie Jones for what would be the game-winning goal just three minutes into the final 45.

 The Patriots sank in defensively from that point forward in what was a brutally-hot second half of action, answering the six Harding shot attempts in the final 30 minutes of action, three of which were saved by Curry.

Palisi led UT Tyler with three shot attempts in a match in which Harding out-shot UT Tyler by a 13-to-8 margin.

The Patriots and Hilltoppers will kick-off Lone Star Conference play at 4 p.m. on Saturday afternoon in Tyler.