Box Score SAN ANTONIO, TX (11.12.11) - For the UT Dallas women's soccer team, the third was not the charm as the Comets fell, 3-0, to No. 7-ranked Hardin-Simmons in the opening round of the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament, hosted by Trinity.
The Comets (now 16-5) were excited when their name was called as a member of the 64-team field for the national tournament Monday morning, but unfortunately UTD drew rival Hardin-Simmons in the first round. The Comets and Cowgirls met two previous times this season, including a 2-0 HSU win in the American Southwest Conference title game six days ago.
Hardin-Simmons got on the scoreboard early as Vivian Wells found herself open in front of the Comet goal and placed her shot in the upper corner past UTD goalkeeper
Brittany Best in the ninth minute of the game.
Leah Bowyer looked to knot the game in the 12th minute with the Comets' only shot on goal in the opening half, but HSU keeper Rebecca Roth turned away the shot.
The Cowgirls (now 20-1) took the 1-0 lead into the break but needed less than six minutes to add on to their advantage as Devon Howard scored after assists from Katie Kuykendall and Taylor Thigpen in the 51st minute. HSU tacked on one last goal in the 67th minute on a header by Austin Rucker after a cross from Kuykendal.
UT Dallas managed just four shots on the night, only two of which were on goal, while the Cowgirls took 16 shots, eight on goal. Best finished the contest with five saves.
Jamie Rheman joined Bowyer as the only Comets withI shots on goal.
This marked just the second appearance for the Comets in the NCAA Tournament and first as an at-large selection. UTD's previous appearance came in 2002 when the Comets won the ASC title and earned the league's automatic berth.
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