TMU’s mid-fielder Suzanne Mabie

“Laura English was taking the ball down the line, and everyone was running in. We were all anticipating something,” Mabie, a sophomore, said. “Then she sends this perfectly beautiful ball that careens to the far post where I was running, and the goalie is near the post, and I was able to head it at the right angle that it went past her hands.

“Then I basically died.”

Fortunately, there was no more game to be played. Mabie’s golden goal, assisted by English and Lynnae George, lifted the Mustangs to a 1-0 win over the University of Antelope Valley at The Master’s Reese Field, ending one of the team’s most arduous tests of the young season eight minutes into overtime.

The Mustangs (7-0) had, before Saturday, outscored their first six opponents 24-4. They’d knocked off four ranked opponents and jumped up to No. 13 in the NAIA’s most recent top 25.

Antelope Valley wasn’t having it.

The Pioneers (3-3) kept the scoreboard clean in the first half. They did it again after the break, making futile 23 of the Mustangs’ 24 shots on the day.
Mabie’s header, though, was the only one that mattered.

“I fell on my knees (after the goal), and I was like, ‘Wow, God finally gave me my first goal on this team. So that was pretty wonderful,” Mabie said. “And then everybody jumped on me. It was a good moment, one of the best.”

There weren’t many moments Saturday when the Mustangs appeared in serious danger of allowing a goal. Center back Kayla Peterson made sure of that.

The Pioneers managed 10 shots, one of them one goal, and The Master’s advanced to its fourth shutout win of the year.

“The girls fought well today,” said Mustangs coach Curtis Lewis. “We created enough to score in regulation, but I’m proud of the way the girls were able to face adversity and some physical play.”

The Mustangs will host NAIA No. 12 Ottawa University (Kansas) on Thursday. Game time is 4 p.m.