The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Loyola Marymount
Soccer drops 3-1 decision to Loyola Marymount in season opener
08.19.2011 | Soccer
Aug. 19, 2011
AUSTIN, Texas -- The University of Texas Soccer team dropped a 3-1 decision to Loyola Marymount in its season-opening match on Friday night at Mike A. Meyers Stadium.
Senior forward Kylie Doniak gave the Longhorns an early lead, scoring at the 21:31 mark in the first half. Doniak took advantage of UT's first corner kick and the substitution of LMU's starting goalkeeper Brittany Jagger for Paige Pennington, who failed to make the save immediately upon entering game.
LMU stormed back to take the momentum in the second half, and scored all three of its goals in the final 20 minutes of the second half. The first goal was chipped in by sophomore forward Tawni Martino after LMU's first and only corner kick of the match.
Martino's goal tied the match but the Lions took the lead when they received a penalty kick in the 82nd minute. Senior defender Britteny Sanford took the kick for the Lions. With a 2-1 lead, LMU kept pressure on UT and insured the win with sophomore midfielder Darien Pyka scoring the third and final goal with three minutes remaining.
UT outshot Loyola Marymount 16-7. LMU's Pennington recorded three saves in 68 minutes of action.
Head Coach Chris Petrucelli
Opening statement: There were times we played pretty well. We created some chances, but we didn't put them away. When the game was 1-0 we had a few chances to put it away, but we didn't. Then, we gave up a goal and that changed the momentum.
On the optimism of scoring opportunities: Well we were a little bit unlucky, but that's part of it. Yeah, we created some chances, but we have to take those things and put them away. Not finishing those chances cost us the game as much as giving up the goals did.
On bouncing back from the loss: Well as I said to the team, we've only played one game. We've got 17 left. There's a lot of soccer left to play. We never said our goal was to be undefeated. We've got better goals than that. We'll be ready to play on Monday.
