North American University Men's Soccer Team Comes Up Short Against University of Houston-Victoria

October 26, 2024 – Victoria, Texas

The North American University Stallions traveled to Victoria, Texas, on October 26 to face off against the University of Houston-Victoria Jaguars in a highly competitive match. Ultimately, the Jaguars took the victory with a 4-1 win, but the Stallions demonstrated determination throughout, battling both on offense and defense.

First Half: A Strong Defensive Effort

The first half opened with both teams trying to establish control, leading to close defensive play on both ends. Houston-Victoria's early pressure culminated in the first goal of the match, scored at the 8:41 mark by Osiel Robledo, assisted by Carlos Quinones and Diby Kouassi. Despite this early setback, North American's defense held firm for the remainder of the half, with goalkeeper Gino Burioni managing to make key saves that kept the score tight. The half ended 1-0 in favor of Houston-Victoria.

Second Half: Scoring Momentum Shifts

Houston-Victoria continued to apply offensive pressure in the second half, leading to two additional goals from Carlos Quinones at 56:14 and Diby Kouassi at 63:36, giving the Jaguars a 3-0 lead. North American responded with offensive energy, and their efforts paid off when Jose Carlos Dos Santos found the back of the net at 72:52, assisted by William Ours. The goal represented the Stallions' continued resilience as they worked to narrow the scoring gap. However, Houston-Victoria managed to score again in the 88th minute, with Einar Rolfsen recording the Jaguars' fourth and final goal of the game, assisted by Osiel Robledo.

Match Statistics

The Stallions tallied a total of 10 shots, three of which were on goal, while the Jaguars registered 25 shots with eight on target. Defensively, North American's goalkeeper, Gino Burioni, made four saves throughout the game, displaying consistent effort against a relentless Houston-Victoria attack. On the other side, Houston-Victoria's goalkeeper, Tyler Kaeppeli, recorded two saves out of the Stallions' three shots on goal.

Fouls were closely contested as well, with North American recording 17 fouls compared to Houston-Victoria's 16. Both teams had multiple corner kick opportunities, with North American taking three and Houston-Victoria executing five.

Looking Ahead

With the final score at 4-1, the Stallions' season record now stands at 5-8-2, and they hold a conference record of 2-5-2. The team will aim to regroup and build on this experience as they prepare for the next matchup, with a continued focus on team cohesion and executing offensive and defensive strategies.