ABILENE, Texas – McMurry University's youthful women's soccer team gave the region's No. 3-ranked team and national-vote getter – the University of Texas-Dallas – all it could handle before absorbing a hard-fought, 1-0, loss at Wilford Moore Stadium. The War Hawks fell to 4-8-1 overall and 2-4-1 in the American Southwest Conference, while the Comets improved to a perfect 13-0 on the year and 7-0 in the ASC.
 
"We stood toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the nation," McM head coach Charles Nobles reflected. "I couldn't be more proud of the effort of our entire team. We had several great chances that could have changed the result in our favor with a little luck. I think we got a glimpse of this team's potential – as well as the future – of McMurry University women's soccer."
 
The chances Nobles pointed out were evident from the outset.  Sophomore Angelica Navarro hit the post in just the second minute of play. Then in the 59th minute, Navarro again blasted a shot that glanced the post. In between, Cristen Lumbreras and Kate Holland each had shots on-goal.
 
The lone goal of the game came at the 15:23 minute mark of the match. UTD's Jessica Rusk headed in a corner kick by Bailee Davis, past McM goalkeeper Cindy Villasana, to make it 1-0.
 
But, aside from that one breakdown, Villasana was stellar in the nets. The sophomore made six saves, several of the acrobatic variety that thwarted strong Comet shot tries, to keep the War Hawks in the match to the very last second.
 
While there may not be a column for "moral victories," the McMurry team can take solace in the leaps forward it has made in its recent past. In allowing just one goal to the potent UTD side, McMurry matched the lowest it has ever permitted the Comets (also losing 1-0 in 2006).  In the six previous meetings, UTD has scored a minimum of five goals in each contest and twice running up double-digit totals. But the Comets would not be able to replicate previous meetings this time, thanks largely to the defensive corps of Emily Fisher, Lyndsey Johnson, Navarro, Holland and Meriah Sikora
 
Lumbreras, Navarro and Ashland Hansen each had two shot attempts for McM. As a team, UTD held an 11-8 advantage in total shot attempts.
 
McMurry will next host Howard Payne University on Saturday (5:30 p.m.).