UTEP soccer pushes unbeaten streak to four
ABILENE, Texas - Sophomore Savanah Finley registered a season-best five saves to help propel the UTEP soccer team to a 0-0 tie on a sweltering day at ACU Sunday.
The effort keeps the Miners (2-0-2) undefeated on the year while the Wildcats (0-1-1) remain in search of their initial victory of the young season. It is an impressive outcome for UTEP with ACU having gone 5-1-2 at home in 2025. The Orange and Blue’s unblemished mark through four contests is the longest streak to start the season in 10 years. The 2016 squad bolted out of the gates at 4-0-2 before sustaining its first loss.
UTEP forced ACU netminder Bella Medrano into making five saves while posting nine overall shots in the tilt. Finley matched Medrano’s five stops to secure her second shutout of the campaign. She previously contributed to a combined clean sheet in the 5-0 rout of Sul Ross State on Aug. 16. Her lone goal against this season came on a PK in the 1-1 draw at Tarleton State on Aug. 20. Overall, UTEP’s one tally conceded after four matches is the fewest since 2014 when it notched four shutouts in as many tilts to start the season.
UTEP established possession and got deep into ACU territory early on, but a chance was wiped away on an offside (3’) call. The Wildcats’ first foray into the area was cleared. A potential counterattack was stymied by another offside (7’) infraction. Finley then produced a fine save on a shot (8’) from Nia Leslie, pushing it wide for a corner. UTEP won the delivery into the box with a header.
Zeta McDannels went in search of the match’s first goal, but her shot (14’) went wide of the frame. Finley was called upon again twice in a two-minute span, making a pair of quality saves. She corralled the chance (17’) by Leslie before fighting off an attempt (18’) from Shakira Kafero-Roberts.
UTEP started to possess as the half wore on, sending some crosses into the area. The Miners’ best look of the frame came as time wound down. A floating shot (45’) from Ava Grosso drifted just high over the bar, and the match was scoreless at the half.
The Orange and Blue continued to up their pressure in the second stanza. Off a corner kick (56’), Ashlyn Neireiter lofted a shot on target that forced Bella Medrano to punch it over the bar. Neireiter had another look (57’) on the ensuing corner only to have it drift just past the frame.
Finley did enough to keep a shot (60’) from Addison Christian Briscoe out, notching the save to set up a corner kick. The sophomore was perfectly positioned to snatch a point-blank header (69’) by Christian Briscoe. UTEP immediately raced up the pitch, but its offensive attack was snuffed out as the ball went over the line before it could be crossed.
The Miners were knocking on the door thanks to a corner kick (73’). Neireiter’s shot (74’) was saved, but the rebound remained in the box. Grosso fired a shot (74’) on frame that once again was stopped by Medrano. McDannels then sent a shot (76’) that had good pace, but it wasn’t on target.
Finley elevated high above the masses to snatch a service on a corner kick (86’) despite being fouled. UTEP’s final chances offensively down the stretch were taken off the board due to an offside infraction, in addition to a foul.
The Miners will cap their three-game roadswing with a match at NAU at 2 p.m. MDT on Aug. 30.
