ORLANDO, Florida – Behind a pair of first-half goals from Sammy Nieves, No. 6 seed SMU advanced to the American Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Championship final with a 5-0 win over second-seeded South Florida on Thursday, November 3 at the UCF Soccer and Track Complex.
 
With the win, SMU (10-3-5) will face the winner of No. 1 UCF and No. 4 Memphis on Sunday, November 6 at 1 p.m. ET/noon CT on ESPNEWS and ESPN+. It will be SMU’s second appearance in the Championship final (2016). South Florida dropped to 8-9 with the loss.
 
The Mustangs were clinical in the first half, scoring on three of its first four shots. In the seventh minute, SMU cleared a South Florida corner and Nieves ran on to the ball around midfield and ran in alone on goal, beating Bull goalkeeper Sydney Martinez, to give the Mustangs an early lead.
 
SMU doubled its lead in the 19th minute when Nieves crossed to Wayny Balata, who scored on the half volley. Nieves then scored her second of the day in the 25th minute after combining with Kaya Lee for a give-and-go.
 
The Mustangs scored less than three minutes in the second half on the second goal of the day by Balata. Jewel Boland joined in the scoring on a long shot from outside the box.
 
Tatum Sutherland made three saves in 77 minutes of action for SMU in the win.
 
The five goals by the Mustangs were tied for the second-most in Championship history (UCF vs. Houston in 2019). Memphis scored six against Houston in the 2013 Championship.
 
2022 American Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Championship Schedule
First round at campus sites
Semifinals and final at home site of the No. 1 seed UCF
(all times Eastern)
 
First Round - Sunday, October 30
Game 1 - No. 6 SMU 1, No. 3 Cincinnati 0
Game 2 - No. 4 Memphis 1, No. 5 East Carolina 0 (OT)
 
Semifinals - Thursday, November 3
Game 3 - No. 6 SMU 5, No. 2 South Florida 0
Game 4 - No. 4 Memphis at No. 1 UCF | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
 
Championship Final - Sunday, November 6
Game 5 - Semifinal Winners | 1 p.m. | ESPNEWS and ESPN+