HOUSTON – The Celts of the University of St. Thomas scored early and often Sunday as they pummeled visiting Austin College by a score of 6-1.
Katarina Maksimov (SR/Richmond, Texas), Kennedy Sessions (SR/Spring, Texas), and Olivia Urrutia (JR/Tomball, Texas) scored two goals apiece for the Celts (3-3-1), who won their third consecutive match. UST has outscored its opponents 11-1 over its last three contests.
The visiting Kangaroos scored the first goal of the match barely a minute after the opening whistle. The lead was safe for almost five minutes before Maksimov tied the contest with a high, arcing shot from the top of the penalty area in the sixth minute. Aeriana Lewis (SO/Houston, Texas) assisted on UST's first goal.
Maksimov's goal opened the proverbial floodgates for the Celts, who proceeded to score four goals in a span of five minutes. Less than a minute after the opening goal, UST goalkeeper Olivia Futch (SO/Katy, Texas) sent a long punt downfield that her AC counterpart misplayed, which allowed Sessions to strike with a header goal.
In the ninth minute, it was Urrutia's turn to get on the scoreboard when she converted a free kick from approximately 30 yards out. Two minutes later, Sessions connected on her second goal, giving the Celts a 4-1 lead and prompting a goalkeeper change from Austin College.
The Celts added another goal in the 36th minute when Urrutia connected on a Maksimov corner kick to stretch UST's lead to four goals. Maksimov assisted on the last two goals of the first half.
Five minutes after the halftime restart, Maksimov took a pass from Sarah Zimmer (SO/Willis, Texas) and found the goal again to give the Celts their final margin of victory. It was Maksimov's fifth goal of the season and the 30th of her career – a UST record.
Futch made four saves in the first half to pick up the victory. The big halftime lead allowed Vanessa Mayer (FR/Conroe, Texas) and Carmen Lozada (FR/Katy, Texas) to split the second half's goalkeeping duties; each player made a save in the second half.
The Celts open Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play Sunday, Oct. 6, when they host Johnson & Wales at AVEVA Stadium, located near the team's primary home at Houston Sports Park. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.
