Women’s Soccer Recap
By: Ethan Peltier, FM88 Sports
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall women’s soccer scored early and relied on a resilient defensive effort to secure a 1-0 victory over ULM on Sunday at Hoops Family Field.
The Herd entered Sunday looking to respond after a 3-0 road loss to Old Dominion on Thursday, which marked its first defeat in conference play this season.
Sophomore forward Wiktoria Mikrut scored in the fourth minute, and goalkeeper Emma Durand made six saves as the Thundering Herd held off the Warhawks through a rainy Senior Day matchup.
The victory improved Marshall’s record to 7-3-4 overall and 3-1-2 in Sun Belt Conference play. ULM fell to 4-10-1 overall and 1-5 in conference competition.
Marshall wasted little time finding the back of the net. In the fourth minute, midfielder Luana Gusmao and midfielder Brooklyn McComas helped set up Mikrut, who finished the opportunity to give the Herd a 1-0 advantage. The goal was Mikrut’s sixth of the season and her first in conference play.
The early score provided Marshall with an advantage it would have to protect for the remainder of the match.
ULM created several opportunities to find an equalizer, outshooting Marshall 13-7 and putting six shots on target compared to Marshall’s two. The Warhawks hit the crossbar twice but could not convert either opportunity into a goal.
Despite the difference in shot production, the Herd maintained its lead behind Durand and a backline that faced increasing pressure as the match progressed.
The challenge intensified in the 70th minute when Marshall forward Delfina Lombardi received her second yellow card of the match, resulting in a red card. The ejection left the Herd with 10 players for approximately the final 20 minutes.
Marshall had to adjust defensively while ULM continued searching for an equalizer.
Durand finished with six saves, helping preserve the shutout and secure the victory. The performance marked her second clean sheet of the season and the ninth of her collegiate career, tying her for fourth in program history.
Marshall also finished with seven corner kicks compared with ULM’s one, giving the Herd additional opportunities to threaten despite its lower shot total.
The result provided a positive response following Thursday’s loss and kept Marshall unbeaten at home this season. The Herd entered Sunday’s match having won each of its previous two games following a defeat earlier in the season, and Sunday’s result continued that trend.
With the regular season approaching its final stretch, every conference result carries added importance as teams compete for position ahead of the Sun Belt Conference tournament.
Marshall is tied for third in the conference standings with 11 points and has four regular-season matches remaining. The Herd will next travel to Louisiana for a conference matchup on Sunday, Oct. 18, with kickoff scheduled for 2 p.m.
The team will look to carry the momentum from its Senior Day victory into the final weeks of conference play as it continues its push toward the postseason.