Huntsville, Texas. – FIU Women's Soccer (10-3, 5-0 CUSA) takes down Sam Houston (6-6-2, 3-2-2 CUSA) to win their seventh match in a row. Noemi Paquin scores two goals and Brealyn Viamille scores one as they lead the Panthers to their tenth win of the season, the most since the 2011 campaign.
FIU was aggressive from kickoff as they have been all season, out-shooting Sam Houston 8-2 in the first half with five shots on goal to the Bearkats zero. The Panthers opened up the scoring when senior Noemi Paquin hit a strike off her right foot into the top right corner of the Sam Houston goal, making it a 1-0 game at the 5:40 mark.
The Canadian native Paquin did not stop there, scoring later in the half in the 38th minute off an assist from Arianna Sparrow, Paquin's second of the game and Sparrow's first assist of the season and her career with the Panthers. FIU went into the half with a 2-0 lead over Sam Houston.
Out of the half, neither the Panthers or Bearkats could get their offense rolling until late in the second half when Sam Houston scored and cut the Panther lead in half, making the game 2-1 at the 76:26 mark.
The Bearkats were within one for five minutes of play, but the Panthers held strong, keeping up their press and getting a score from junior Brealyn Viamille off an assist from fellow junior Elizabeth Rapp, putting away the game in the 82nd minute now up two goals. It is the first goal of the year for Viamille, and her third of her career. For Rapp, it is her second assist of the season.
Despite the one goal allowed, the FIU defense played well once again, allowing just five shots, one shot on goal and one goal in the match. The goal is the first that the Panthers have given up since September 19, going three consecutive matches without giving up a goal until Sam Houston found the back of the net.
The Panthers' nine goals allowed on the season and three goals allowed during conference play are both the fewest in CUSA.
Noemi Paquin's two goals bring her to 13 on the season, tying her for second in the nation in total goals. 13 goals ties her for seventh in FIU history in total goals in a season, with four regular season matches left as well as the CUSA tournament. It is the most goals in a season for an FIU player since 2000.
The five conference victories marks the most for the program since the 2013 season, when the Panthers also had five wins in conference play, tying the most since FIU joined CUSA.
UP NEXT
FIU will end their road trip at Kennesaw State on Sunday, October 20 at 12 p.m. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN+ with live stats available.
BAPTIST HEALTH
The 2024 FIU men's and women's soccer season is presented by Baptist Health, the official sports medicine provider of FIU Athletics.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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