Constance Atton | Lariat Photographer
Sports Writer
No. 11 Baylor extended its 30-game unbeaten streak with a 2-0 over Boise State on Sunday. The Bears (7-0-2) also had a game scheduled on Friday night against UNT, but it was canceled because of the overwhelming rain in Waco.
“You kind of get in a groove of Friday, Sunday games,“ Baylor co-head coach Marci Jobson said. “You get a little bit worried when you don’t play on a Friday because the kids [players] are going to come out a little flat.”
Baylor was out of synch early in the game missing passes it normally has made, but as the game went on the Bears began to settle down. The Bears outshot their opponent 15 to six and also had four corner kicks compared to Boise State’s three.
Baylor had the first shot of the game as senior midfielder Karlee Summey continued to put pressure on the opposing defense. Boise State kept the Bears offense quiet early in the half, but Summey struck again, but the ball went wide right. Despite the slow start, the offense began to generate more shots and scoring opportunities came about.
Senior midfielder Kat Ludlow’s header in the first half marked her second career game winner, which came off senior defender Taylor Heatherly’s free kick from the right wing 45 yards out.
“Taylor’s ball was amazing,” Ludlow said. “It was placed perfectly. Those are my favorite when they are right to the back post. I just jumped up, tried to time it right, I hit it and it went right into the other side of the goal. I practice those so much and you get the hang of it.”
The Bears extended their lead when junior forward Natalie Huggins passed the ball to wide-open senior midfielder Karlee Summey who shot the ball to the right of the goalie for a score.
“I think we did a great job of coming back and getting ready for this game,” Summey said. “They are a great team and it was a hard fought battle. We just had to find a way to win.”
Baylor almost tacked on another goal during the 88th minute when junior forward Justine Hovden got a breakaway ball, but her shot hit the crossbar when junior goalkeeper Maddy McDevitt jumped and deflected it with the tip of her fingers.
The Bears had a scare on two occasions when Boise State junior defender Mikhaila Bowden’s shot went past the glove of junior goalkeeper Michelle Kloss as she advanced just outside the penalty box. Senior defender Taylor Heatherly raced back to get the deflection preventing a tying score. In the second half, Boise State was pushing the ball and applying pressure, but Kloss didn’t time the run correctly. After the shot was taken, the ball deflected off of Kloss to prevent a score.
The defense earned the eighth shutout of the season, allowing one goal in nine games. The stout defense has shutout opponents in the first half allowing the offense to have fast starts. The Bears defense combined with midfield play, limited Boise State’s chances to generate shot attempts despite having possession of the ball frequently.
The Bears haven’t allowed a goal in the last seven matches dating back to last season and Baylor is the only undefeated Big 12 team.
The Bears will begin Big 12 play against Oklahoma at 7 p.m., Friday at Betty Lou Mays Field.
