The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
New Mexico
No. 8 Soccer tops New Mexico, 2-1
09.07.2006 | Soccer
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Senior forward Ashley Foster scored the game-winning goal to give No. 8 Texas its third straight win as UT picked up its first road victory of the year, beating New Mexico (3-2) by a score of 2-1 in double overtime on Thursday. The game was played at UNM Soccer Complex in Albuquerque, N.M., in front of a crowd of 848 fans.
"We handled a physical team and possessed the ball well tonight," said Petrucelli. "After that first goal, our defense shut them down for the next 87 minutes. We worked our way back into a position to win."
Foster (Athens, Ga.) found the back of the net, four minutes and four seconds into the first overtime period, after getting the ball on the right side, near midfield. She dribbled through two New Mexico defenders, broke towards the box and scored the tenth goal of her career.
"Ashley hit a great shot, left-footed from 25 yards out," said Petrucelli. "Ashley is a dynamic player who is capable of scoring from a distance with both feet."
Senior captain Carrie Schmit (La Mesa, Calif.) scored first for UT, tucking the ball away in the far post off a bounce pass from senior Amy Burlingham (Costa Mesa, Calif.). Sophomore defender Kasey Moore (Mission Viejo, Calif.) served the ball into the box where Burlingham passed it back to Schmit, after a rebound, for the score.
The lone New Mexico goal came three minutes and 58 seconds into the match. Kristine Sweat dribbled up the right side of the field before she met sophomore defender Stephanie Logterman (Austin, Texas), just outside of the box. Sweat took the pass from teammate Bridgette Sanchez and poked the ball over sophomore goalkeeper Dianna Pfenninger's (Sugar Land, Texas) head into the right side of the net.
Pfenninger recorded one save in her third win of the season. She faced six shots from the Lobos' attack including four in the first period.
It marks the second overtime win of the season for eighth-year head coach Chris Petrucelli's squad. On Sunday, Sept. 3, UT defeated then-No. 13 Illinois, 1-0, in a double overtime match.
Texas outshot New Mexico, 14-6 with seven Longhorns taking aim at goal. Schmit led the team with four shots, Burlingham recorded three attempts on goal and Foster had two, including the fourth game-winning-goal of her career.
Four different Longhorns have scored at least one goal in three contests this season. Junior forward Kelsey Carpenter (Allen, Texas) leads the team with two goals in 2006 and Burlingham, Foster and Schmit have one goal apiece.
"We prefer to have a number of people who can score because it's a lot harder to defend the ball," said Petrucelli. "The more we can spread it around, the harder it is on other teams."
With her score against New Mexico, Foster is tied for eighth on Texas' all-time game-winning-goals list with four.
With her start against the Lobos, Burlingham moved into a tie for ninth place with Nicole Breger for matches started with 67.
The match against UNM marked Logterman's first game of the season. The second-year Longhorn missed the first three matches of the season to play with the U.S. Under-20 Women's National Soccer Team in Russia.
Texas returns to action on Sunday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. with a non-conference match at Rice in Houston.
NOTE: Junior forward Kelsey Carpenter was named National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Player of the Week for her performances in upset wins over then-No. 3 Penn State and No. 13 Illinois. It is the second national weekly honor for Carpenter, who also took home the same honor from Soccer America magazine.
