Houston forward Skylar Miller (11) and forward Jada Arthurs (21) celebrate the first goal , during the first half of an NCAA women’s soccer match, Thursday, September 10, 2026 in Houston, Texas. | Gillian Wisniewski/The Cougar
The Houston Cougars returned home victorious in a 5-0 rout over the Sam Houston Bearkats on Sept. 10, a week after the team drew with No. 23 Memphis around 580 miles away from the Carl Lewis International Complex.
Junior winger Skylar Miller’s hat-trick was the spectacle of the night, though it was a dominant collective performance from the initial kickoff.
The Cougars, playing back at home, were unaffected by wet pitch conditions and controlled momentum from the beginning of the game. The Bearkats were forced to retreat into a low block as Williams’ side continued recycling possession inside their half with a front-footed defensive approach.
The first score of the match came in the 14-minute mark after a cross from junior forward Jada Arthurs found the free head of Miller, who guided it past senior goalkeeper Hannah Stipp towards the back post for a 1-0 lead.
Miller’s second goal came off of Stipp’s mistake handling a direct free-kick just four minutes later, extending Houston’s lead to 2-0. Their defensive efforts proved futile against the Cougars’ press-resistant midfield duo, sophomore Nadia Ortiz and junior midfielder Casey Maddox, while their two shot attempts in retaliation failed to hit the target.
Houston still employed a high defensive line and continued to string together attacks in pursuit of a third unanswered goal, but the front line struggled to frequently find those final passes to have clear scoring opportunities.
Finally, however, their pressure was enough and sophomore forward Bailey Cate found space in between Sam Houston defenders inside the box to receive a cross and calmly tuck the ball into the bottom left corner of the net for a massive 3-0 advantage in the 41-minute mark.
After halftime, Houston was able to score its fourth goal before the 50-minute mark. Casey’s sublime pass from midfield snuck behind the Sam Houston defense to find both an empty net and a wonderful hat-trick.
Miller’s remarkable night ended in the 61st minute, but the Cougars still continued to push the ball forward. Arthurs provided a constant threat on the right wing, although midfield control weakened and eventually momentum did temporarily shift.
The visiting Bearkats’ urgency increased after going down four goals, carrying the ball into the final third more frequently, but their urgency did not translate into a clear chance and they succumbed to a fifth within the final ten minutes.
This time it was sophomore Madyson Bentil who capitalized on a chaotic corner kick swung in during the 83rd minute of regulation.
The Cougars emerged from the pitch victorious with most starters on the bench, having extended their record to 3-1-3 after their third victory at home by more than three goals.
The Cougars remain at home for their next contest when they take on 1-5-1 Texas Southern on Sunday, Sept. 13.
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