(September 7, 2025) Mena, Arkansas - After a 3-0 start to their young season, the ladies returned to Tapley Park on Sunday afternoon with their toughest test in 2025 against the 3rd ranked Seminole State Trojans.

 

UARM came with a game plan to combat the #3 team in the nation and every player followed the plan to a "T". The Bucks got the best result that any UARM team has ever achieved. Seminole took control of the first half with a vast majority of possession of the ball, but UARM forced the ball wide and invited them to send high balls from the wings. In goal, Ramzee Matejka (Jacksonville, TX) and her defenders stood tall and defended that penalty area well.

 

As the clock ticked down to 45 minutes to end the half, and UARM was ready to re-group to get a second wind and reorganize. The Bucks suddenly sprang a surprise. Maya Lane (Southend-on-Sea, England) received the ball in midfield and dribbled round two players and drew a foul. Caitlyn Turner (Napier Hawkes Bay, New Zealand) stepped forward to take and send the free kick into the Seminole penalty area. The ball sailed high towards the Seminole goalkeeper who dropped the save, and Marie Mongoin (Le Tignet, France) was on hand to poke the ball home from close range for a surprise 1-0 lead to head into the half.  

 

The Bucks gathered for half time in a celebratory mood, but the ladies understood that the #3 ranked team in the nation would be coming full force to get the win. Seminole came out firing and was putting numerous balls into the penalty area for the Bucks to defend, and eventually, they found the net. The Seminole defender latched onto a clearance and stepped forward to smash a 35 yard shot into the goal to tie the match at 1-1. 

 

After the goal, Bucks stepped up and took on the challenge. Ninety seconds later Ramzee Matejka punted the ball from her goal. Solange Depirou (St. Albans, England) controlled the ball on the run, beat a defender, and hit a ferocious shot across the keeper into the left side of the goal to regain the lead. 

 

Seminole is not the #3 ranked team in the nation for a reason, and the Trojans played with a fire in their belly to turn the game around. UARM players were throwing themselves in front of every shot at their goal desperately scrambling away the ball when it looked like Seminole was bound to score. The pressure on the Bucks paid off when a failure to clear a high ball into their penalty area ending up with a hand ball from a misplaced clearance. The PK was smashed into the net despite Matejka guessing which way it would go.  

 

The Bucks team knew this was now 'game on' and had 30 minutes to survive the oncoming onslaught that was about to happen.  TThe ladies played heroically and fought through cramps, tiredness, to almost complete exhaustion to get the 2-2 they so much deserved. Their were a few heart in mouth situations at the end, but the Bucks cleared every corner kick and free kick put into their penalty area. As the final whistle went off, the UARM players fell to their knees, achieving the 2-2 tie with the #3 ranked team in the nation.

 

Coach Kevin Sherry was elated for his women's team. "Wow!! That was incredible. We made history today, and I could not be any prouder of the ladies. They executed the game plan and did something nobody ever thought was possible. Every player on the roster bought into what what we were doing and this result is dedicated to every one of them, because they all played their part."

 

The ladies now have a 6-day break from competition and will take on the Little Rock Rangers Club Team on Sunday, September 14th, at Tapley Park.