Ben Everett | Sports Reporter
Baylor soccer started the season on the right foot Friday night at Betty Lou Mays field with a 5-0 victory over University of Louisiana-Lafayette.
The Bears (1-0) dominated possession of the ball, tallying 38 shot attempts to the Ragin’ Cajuns’ (0-1) four shot attempts.
Baylor head coach Paul Jobson said the defense broke a couple times in the first half, but overall was solid in the first game of the season.
“We were tested early a couple times, but we adjusted pretty well,” Jobson said. “Overall, we play defense front to back. We pressured really well and probably kept the ball on their half 90 percent of the game so we’re really happy with that.”
Baylor started with possession of the ball and wasted no time attempting to put the ball in the net. Junior defender Sarah King launched a shot towards ULL sophomore goalkeeper Victoria Mende, but Mendes managed to snag it out of the air.
Senior midfielder Aline De Lima was rewarded two separate penalty kicks in the middle of first half but the Ragin Cajun defense thwarted both attempts to keep the game scoreless 20 minutes into the first half.
Preseason All-Big 12 midfielder junior Julie James took matters into her own hands to try to spark the Baylor offense in the 21st minute.
James misfired on two headers and two more shots within a two minute span as the Bears desperately tried to get on the board.
In the 27th minute, freshman defender Chelsea Jumratie launched a corner kick across the goal where King converted on a header to put Baylor on top 1-0.
Moments later, Jumratie assisted on a another goal from the corner, this time with senior defender Precious Akanyirige as the Bears led 2-0 in the 28th minute.
Jumratie and King connected once more in the first half as Baylor pushed its lead to 3-0 in the 36th minute.
“She’s got a great left foot,” Jobson said. “She puts the ball consistently where we can get to it and gives us great opportunities to score goals. She sets girls up to be successful.”
With five minutes remaining in the first, sophomore defender Marissa Kinsey converted on a shot to put the Bears up 4-0 going into the break.
At the half, Baylor led ULL in shots attempted 19 to 2. King said the game plan was to put pressure on them from the beginning.
“I think we just really hammered them from the first whistle,” King said. “I think we did a great job all around of just getting up the field and putting shots on goal.”
With Baylor holding a decisive lead, the second half displayed much less offense than the first.
ULL sent out substitute freshman goalkeeper Victoria Ryan in the second half to try to contain the Baylor offense. Ryan did just that, recording saves and allowing just one goal in 45 minutes played.
In the 59th minute, the Ragin’ Cajuns substituted all of their players except for Ryan as the Bears led 4-0.
With the game winding down, junior midfielder Kennedy Brown connected on a shot from near midfield, completing Baylor’s 5-0 win.
Baylor continues its opening weekend home stand at 6 p.m. Sunday against Wyoming.
