Aug. 24, 2001

Stats

WACO, Texas - If Friday's game was a glimpse of how the young Baylor soccer team will perform this fall, head coach Nick Cowell must be pleased.

Freshmen accounted for two goals and two assists in Baylor's 3-0 blanking of traditional powerhouse SMU Friday night in front of a large crowd at Betty Lou Mays Soccer Field in Waco. In addition to the offense provided by rookies, freshman goalkeeper Mel Pannell played all 90 minutes for the Bears to pick up the shutout.

Just two-and-a-half minutes into the game, freshman Ginny Rosario-Tull knocked home Baylor's first goal. Fellow frosh Kristin Ruef's breakaway pass to Rosario-Tull on the left side led to an easy opening score.

Near the end of the first period (the two teams played three 30-minute periods rather than the usual two 45-minute halves), a foul in the box gave Baylor a penalty kick. Sophomore Candace Reilly shot the ball past Mustang goalie Rachel Slocum to give the Bears a 2-0 lead.

The Bears held that two-point lead until, with under eight minutes to go in the game, freshman Rachel Barnier received a fast-break pass from freshman Sarah Dearing and scored Baylor's third goal of the night.

Pannell recorded seven saves in logging the shutout.

The game was played in front of 568 fans, which would have ranked as the second largest crowd of the season in 2000.

Baylor begins the regular season Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m., as the Bears host 21st-ranked Arizona State as part of the Baylor Labor Day Classic.