The bus pulled into the near-downtown college campus nearly 12 months ago. A season that began with its share of aspirations had concluded on the Texas coast with another loss defined by missed opportunities and critical miscues.

Somewhere between the final horn of the regular-season finale and a roughly two-hour drive from Corpus Christi to San Antonio, the University of Incarnate Word women’s soccer team had an awakening.

“We got off the bus realizing we have the talent, we have the tactical ability, we have the coaching staff to lead us to it, but we have to decide we’re going to grind harder than the team across from us for 90 minutes,” said Incarnate Word goalkeeper Hannah Alexander, a graduate student. “I think everybody bought into recognizing how hard it’s going to be, and they’re willing to do the work, whether they’re on the field for 90 minutes, or on the field for 10, or not seeing (the field) at all. Talent gets you so far. But when you get tired, and the talent starts to leave, who’s willing to make the extra run? To make the extra tackle? Our talent, mixed with our effort, is going to get us really far.”

So far, those attributes have carried the Cardinals to the top of the Southland Conference — and they’re determined to remain there.

Louise Coates, Montanna Mathews and Joella Livingston each scored a goal as Incarnate Word rolled past Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 3-0 Thursday in conference play at Benson Stadium. The Cardinals (7-5-2 overall, 4-1-1 in the SLC) have won three straight games and improved to 5-0-2 at home this season.

“It was many building blocks, many stepping stones,” UIW senior defender Taylor Kish said. “Games that we’re getting results in are games we would’ve lost last year. It’s a big turnaround. We’ve always been set with the foundation, but now that we have everybody coming in under (Coach) Jake (Plant), and everyone with the same thought process, it seems like once we’re flowing, it’s hard to kind of knock us off that.”

Guided by a solid display of possession, patience and relentlessness, the Cardinals struck early and never yielded. Freshman Louise Coates ran onto a pass from sophomore forward Atiana Lara in the 15th minute and recorded another highlight-reel goal — a 25-yard volley into the upper left corner for the game-winner. She had a similarly impressive goal in her team’s 2-1 win vs. East Texas A&M in the SLC opener on Sept. 7.

Ten minutes after Coates’ strike, junior Montanna Mathews made it 2-0 when she scored with a left-footed shot from near the top of the penalty area after freshman Lily Ruff’s corner kick made its way to the center of the penalty area and popped loose from amongst a scrum of players. The score held until halftime.

UIW continued to dictate tempo in the second half, keeping pressure on offense with the likes of Lara, Morgan Heintz, Tyler Coker, Peri Olmo, Joella Livingston, Julia Watson and Zaiba Ishaque coming in waves. At the same time, the Cardinals limited their opponent’s opportunities thanks to a defense led by Riley Sheldon and sisters Hayden and Taylor Kish. They combined to keep Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Katie Porter, a senior forward who entered the match with seven goals but managed no shots.

“I think every single shutout speaks to the defense just as much, if not more, than anything I do,” said Alexander, who recorded seven saves — including a point-blank stop with 10 1/2 minutes left — as the Cardinals earned their second straight shutout and sixth overall. “It shows the work we’re putting in practice to care about not only getting the ball in the back of the other team’s goal, but we take a lot of pride in not letting the ball in the back of ours.”

Livingston rounded out the scoring with 18 minutes left when she received a pass from Olmo, spun to her left, and slotted a left-footed shot that hit off the inside of the left post and went into the goal past a diving Addie Brown, a freshman from Johnson High School who had nine saves. Taft graduate Jessiny Aguillon played 37 minutes for the Islanders (4-6-3, 1-3-1).

“Obviously, it’s nice to sit at the top,” Taylor Kish said. “Our next game is Lamar, and we don’t think about anything past that. We stay present in the moment. That’s the biggest thing for us now.”

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