Lady Stallions Fall at Wiley's Pemberton Field, Look Ahead to TSU Showdown
Written By Rev. Justin C. Jackson
The North American University Lady Stallions made the trip deep into East Texas yesterday to take on Wiley College at historic Pemberton Field in Marshall, Texas — home of the Wildcat men's and women's soccer programs.
It was more than just a game day. Wiley's campus was buzzing with back-to-school energy. The Student Activities crew had the place alive — ice cream socials, karaoke nights, and DJs spinning in the student union. The spirited crowd spilled that energy right into the match atmosphere.
But on the pitch, neither team looked like their usual selves. Wiley — traditionally a patient, possession-heavy squad that uses overloads and deliberate movement — came out pressing and rushing like true East Texas Wildcats on the prowl. Meanwhile, the Lady Stallions, a team built on physical counter-striking and midfield traps, came out flat. Whether it was the long bus ride behind the Piney Woods or just the electric atmosphere, NAU never quite found their rhythm in the opening frame.
And Wiley took advantage.
The Wildcats struck first in the 29th minute when Irma Garcia pounced on a loose ball and buried it. Just before halftime, Yamilett Umana doubled the lead, and suddenly Wiley had the Stallions pinned down 2-0 at the break.
Coach Smith admitted afterward: "This just doesn't look like my team… we need two things: rest and cardio." And he's right. The grind of preseason camp, registration, move-in, classes, and practice has worn on these student-athletes. But nobody around NAU doubts this squad's bounce-back ability.
The second half gave Stallion Nation a glimpse of that fight. In the 62nd minute, Suzette Baltazar finished off a setup from Genevieve Colon, cutting the lead to 2-1 and giving NAU life. But Wiley answered quickly — Cynthia Lopez and Nadia Hernandez added goals to secure the 4-1 win for the home side.
Final Score
North American 1 – Wiley College 4
Game Stats
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Shots: NAU 9, Wiley 17
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Saves: NAU 6, Wiley 5
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Corners: NAU 1, Wiley 3
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Fouls: NAU 4, Wiley 3
Scorer for NAU:
Big Shoutout
Wiley SID Mr. Andre Glover — a class act and one of the best communicators in the game. The RRAC misses him, but the HBCU Conference is now stacked with strong Sports Information leaders.
The NAU HBCU Challenge continues as the Lady Stallions head into Houston's Third Ward for a matchup against Texas Southern University (TSU). Pregame coverage drops soon, and though the game streams on the TSU YouTube channel, you can catch the official On Clutch Broadcast Crew bringing the NAU call.
So Stallion Nation — keep the energy up. These ladies are battle-tested and built to respond.
Get those Hooves Up and Gooooo Stallionssssss!!!
#Hofsup #GeorgeDaStallion
