After trailing 1-0 to Abilene Christian University, the women’s soccer team was relieved when Maddie Fraser responded quickly with a well-struck volley.

The goal was as a result of a faulty clearance by the Wildcats after Katy Catney took the 65th minute free kick.

Fraser chose the right spot and time to strike the ball for the well-deserved equalizer.

The Lady Mustangs outplayed ACU, but were unable to convert the majority of their chances.

However, Fraser’s goal was something to be grateful for.

“We were all really excited because we definitely outplayed Abilene Christian and worked hard for that goal,” Fraser said. “We had so many chances and deserved to win. We played so well as a team Wednesday night.”

MSU beat their guests at almost every challenge. The home side fought hard to get a victory.

The Lady Mustangs finished the game with 24 shots on goal, which was greater than their opponents by 10. This was a great improvement from previous games.

“We beat them to almost every ball, but we just couldn’t seem to find the net,” Fraser said. “We have been struggling to finish our chances, but we are working hard and continuing to get better every single game.”

Fraser has received praise for her top-drawer skills for the past few years that she has played with the Lady Mustangs.

The senior forward has been the architect of the team’s offense since and has led Midwestern State to a few championships.

“I’ve been so proud of us the past couple of years,” she said. “We had two conference championships and two NCAA appearances and have certainly earned respect in our region.”

Fraser said MSU is still the one of the most feared teams, despite recent setbacks.

“Even though we aren’t getting the results we would like, we are still the team to beat and we fight hard every game,” she said.

With many new players on team, Fraser said she hopes they would learn from the senior players as the team continues to flourish.

“I see this year as a building season,” she said. “We have so many new players and are still trying to adjust so we can start playing together as a team.”

The Lady Mustangs improved last weekend with a 1-0 defeat against Texas A&M Commerce after a double overtime. MSU’s Payton Fookes’ 25-yard goal separated both teams after 109 minutes.

Nevertheless, MSU was unable to score, even after two periods of extra time, in its Sunday fixture against Texas Woman’s University.

The Lady Mustangs will visit Eastern New Mexico and West Texas A&M Friday and Sunday.