Arkansas women blank Grambling in NCAA soccer tournament

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It was a tale of two halves in Arkansas’ 5-0 NCAA Tournament opening victory against Grambling.

The Hogs, the two seed, netted five goals in the second half after getting nothing across in the first 45 minutes despite firing off 15 shots.

Freshman forward Bella Field lit up the scoresheet and became the first Razorback to score three goals in a half since 2001. Coming into the match, Field had two goals on the season.

Field got Arkansas on the board in the 51st minute after receiving a ball in from forward Morgan White. It only took 25 seconds for the Razorbacks to strike again. Senior forward Ava Tankersley doubled the Hogs’ lead after she headed in a cross from senior Ellie Podojil.

Tankersley assisted Field’s next two goals, which happened almost 10 minutes apart from each other. In the 60th minute, the Hogs earned an indirect free kick outside the six-yard box. Tankersley took the touch before Field booted it through a wall of Tiger defenders.

In the 70th minute, Tankersley played it up to Field as she made a run past a Grambling defender to become wide-open at the top of the six-yard box. Field fired across the ground and past Tiger goalkeeper Madison Covey-Taylor to put the Hogs up 4-0.

Junior forward Sophia Aragon scored the final goal of the night and her sixth of the season with six minutes to play.

Goalkeepers Phoebe Carver and Sierra Cota-Yarde split halves and combined for the Hogs’ 10th shutout win of the season.

The Razorbacks finished the match ahead in shots (33-7) and corner kicks (13-0).

Arkansas will face Pittsburgh in the second round at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Razorback Field.