Kameron Kloza wrapped up the second of two post-match interviews and veered toward her team’s bench area. A smile was splashed on her face as she approached family and friends.

A redshirt junior defender, Kloza was ambushed by some of her UTSA soccer teammates and doused with a water bucket, a ritual reserved for someone who had an impactful performance. The water bath was probably a welcomed respite on a steamy Thursday evening when the temperature at kickoff was 101 degrees.

For Kloza, though, the moment was a rebirth — one that perhaps seemed unlikely not long ago.

A former LEE High School standout, Kloza scored the game-winning goal on a soaring header midway through the second half as the Roadrunners topped Navy 2-1 in the teams’ season opener at Park West Complex.

The goal was Kloza’s first of her college career. It came on her first shot attempt, and in her first collegiate start.

“I couldn’t have planned a better night,” Kloza said. “I’m super proud of my team for sticking behind me and pushing through.”

Kloza couldn’t imagine this occasion because it seemed so unlikely, hampered by one heartbreak after another. She tore her right ACL late in her senior season in high school in 2021. She redshirted her freshman season that fall at Texas Tech to rehab the injury, only to tear the ligament again during the 2022 spring season. Kloza was sidelined once again, endured another rehab, and returned to play in eight games (121 minutes) in 2023 for Texas Tech, which won the Big 12 Conference regular-season crown. She transferred to UTSA in June.

“Her story is extremely special,” UTSA coach Derek Pittman said. “Knowing that family so well, watching her go through the challenges she went through from her senior year in high school to her three years at Tech, she just couldn’t catch a break. For her to be able to come out here and get the game-winner is really, really special.”

Kloza’s heroics headlined a night in which UTSA capitalized on two set plays and a solid defensive effort to remain unbeaten in its last three season openers.

Goalkeeper Jasmine Kessler made a clutch stop on a one-on-one scoring opportunity by Navy forward Alexa Riddle in the 62nd minute. UTSA led 1-0 at the time, and three minutes later Kloza scored her goal, putting in consecutive passes from freshman Bri Carrigan and senior Olivia Alvarez.

“The hardest games are the ones where you don’t get any action except for that one play, and it all hinges on that one moment,” Kessler said. “You have to stay locked into the game. You can’t ever check out for one second because that’s what loses games.”

With an added emphasis in the offseason on improving its offensive output after netting 20 goals in 18 games and going five straight contests at one point without a goal in 2023, the focus paid off almost immediately.

Barely six minutes into play, defender Zoe May pounced on an opportunistic bounce during a scramble following a corner kick and got just enough of her right foot on the ball for a goal.

“It was definitely chaotic,” said May, a transfer from American Athletic Conference champion Memphis, who combined with Kloza, Sasjah Dade and Haley Lopez to hold the Navy attack at bay until yielding a goal with 30 seconds left to play. “Thankfully, the ball kind of was kicking around, then it goes in the air, and I just got a foot on it and poked it in. It was kind of lucky in a sense, but I was where I was supposed to be. It definitely was nice getting it early in the game. It kind of settles us a bit.”

UTSA faces Incarnate Word (0-0-1) in a historic matchup at 6 p.m. Sunday at Toyota Field, home to San Antonio FC, the city’s United Soccer League Championship squad.

The Cardinals, in their second season under Coach Jake Plant, opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw at home vs. Tarleton State. After a scoreless first half, senior defender Ellie-Mai Sanford put in a pass from sophomore midfielder Kiana Villa in the 64th minute for a 1-0 lead. Tarleton State tied it in the 72nd minute.

terrence@terrencesports.com
Twitter: @sa_terrence1