Houston, Texas – The University of St. Thomas women's soccer team hosted Houstonians Futbol Club in a home exhibition match at SaberCats Stadium. Despite a rainy start and weather delay, the Celts showed no signs of slowing down, pushing through the first half. With strong efforts from freshman Sydney Ferguson (#7) and senior Emma Cerda (#3), UST dominated possession concluded the first half with a total of 12 shots.

The momentum carried into the second half as the Celts continued to apply pressure, gaining a penalty kick in the 61st minute resulting in freshman Abby Nalepa (#24) to start off her UST career — scoring her first pre-season goal for the program to put UST up 1-0. Just four minutes later, the Celts doubled their lead when Vanessa Romero (#31) scored, with a well-placed assist from Fernanda Alvarado (#9), concluding the match at 2-0 for the final score.

The Celts wrapped up the evening with another strong performance, starting their season with two straight exhibition wins. With confidence, they look to carry this intensity into this upcoming season and prepare for conference. 


Match Notes:

• UST recorded 21 total shots in the match.
• Freshman Abby Nalepa scored her first pre-season goal for the Celts.
• Romero's goal was assisted by Alvarado, her first pre-season assist of the season.

Up Next:
The Celts return to action on Friday, August 29th when they face Pacific Lutheran University at their field, Paul McGinlay Field. Kickoff is set for @5:30 PM. Fans can follow along at www.ustcelts.com
 or on Instagram @ustwsoccer.