DEER PARK, Texas — For 45 minutes, Texas College managed to keep the door closed.
Then North American University kicked it wide open.
The Stallions erupted for six second-half goals Saturday night, rolling past Texas College 7-0 in Red River Athletic Conference action at NAU Soccer Field.
North American improved to 4-2-1 overall and 2-1 in RRAC play, putting together another dominant defensive performance while turning the second half into an offensive showcase.
The Stallions finished with a 30-5 advantage in shots, including 22-1 in shots on goal, while also winning the corner-kick battle 7-1.
And the best part!!!
Seven different Stallions scored.
Pereira Opens the Door
North American didn't waste much time getting on the board.
At 12:57, Lucas Pereira finished a pass from Reynaldo Vanegas to give the Stallions a 1-0 lead.
Texas College survived the remainder of the first half, but the Stallions had already established control.
NAU fired 12 shots in the opening half while limiting the Steers to four.
The second half, however, was a different story.
Six Goals. 42 Minutes. No Mercy.
Just 49 seconds after the restart, Sandile Mdauli doubled the lead with an unassisted strike.
Less than four minutes later, Flynn Faulkner made it 3-0.
Then came Enzo Di Mauro.
At 55:21, Henoc Ghebremicael provided the assist and Di Mauro finished it to push the advantage to four.
Adam Palszabo joined the party in the 68th minute, scoring unassisted to make it 5-0.
Then came a moment worth remembering.
At 78:27, Charlie Wells found the net, giving the Stallion defender his first RRAC goal of the season and making it 6-0.
But the Stallions weren't finished.
With just over two minutes remaining, Kaue Caires capped the scoring at 87:50.
Final: North American 7, Texas College 0.
Seven goals.
Seven different scorers.
And another shutout.
That's a pretty good night at The Stable.
Defense Doing Its Thing
While the offense grabbed the headlines, the Stallion defense quietly handled business on the other end.
Goalkeeper Lutho Mkaba recorded his second consecutive shutout, making one save while Texas College managed just one shot on target the entire night.
After back-to-back conference shutouts against Southwestern Adventist and Texas College, the Stallions have now outscored those opponents 8-0.
The defense isn't just keeping opponents off the scoreboard.
It's giving the offense room to work.
Everybody Eats
North American's scoring sheet looked like a team effort because it was.
Lucas Pereira, Sandile Mdauli, Flynn Faulkner, Enzo Di Mauro, Adam Palszabo, Charlie Wells and Kaue Caires each found the back of the net.
Mdauli led the Stallions with seven shots and four shots on goal.
Pereira, Wells and Palszabo each recorded two shots on target.
Ghebremicael and Vanegas each picked up an assist.
And just for good measure, North American finished with 22 shots on goal.
Texas College goalkeeper Walid Benchekroune made 15 saves.
Yep. Fifteen.
That should tell you what kind of night it was.
Stallion Notes
- North American improves to 4-2-1 overall and 2-1 in RRAC play.
- The Stallions scored six second-half goals.
- Seven different Stallions scored.
- NAU outshot Texas College 30-5.
- North American held a 22-1 advantage in shots on goal.
- The Stallions won the corner-kick battle 7-1.
- Sandile Mdauli led the team with seven shots.
- Charlie Wells scored his first RRAC goal of the season.
- Lutho Mkaba recorded his second consecutive shutout.
- North American has outscored its last two conference opponents 8-0.
- The Stallions committed just four fouls compared to six by Texas College.
- Saturday's attendance was 340 at NAU Soccer Field.
Defensive Player of the Week Watch
If there is a conversation about RRAC Defensive Player of the Week, Lutho Mkaba has earned a seat at the table.
Mkaba and the Stallion defense have posted consecutive shutouts, allowing zero goals across their last two conference victories.
For the stretch, North American has outscored its opponents 8-0.
The goalkeeper gets the saves, but this has been a full-team defensive effort.
SID Spotlight
Saturday's official scorer was Kaylee "Bear" Sanchez, who once again handled the scorer's table with professionalism and attention to detail.
Bear knows the game from the player side, but she's also showing she has the makings of someone who understands what happens behind the scenes to keep a college sporting event running correctly.
Player experience + game-day operations + attention to detail?
That's a pretty good foundation for the next chapter.
Up Next
The Stallions stay home Thursday, October 8, for another RRAC showdown when Texas A&M University-Texarkana comes to Deer Park.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CDT at NAU Soccer Field.
After two straight conference shutouts and eight unanswered goals, North American has some serious momentum rolling into the next one.
The offense is clicking. The defense is locked in. And the Stallions are starting to make some noise.
Hooves Up.
Sports Information Director: Rev. Justin C. Jackson, M.S.
Official Scorer: Kaylee "Bear" Sanchez
North American University Athletics
