Soccer falls to Oregon, 2-1

Sunday, September 1

Eugene, Ore.

2 p.m.

University of Texas

1-2-1

Oregon

2-2-0

TEXAS

OREGON

09.01.2013 | Soccer

Box Score

Junior defender Brooke Gilbert tallies second goal of the season, sophomore keeper Abby Smith records three saves on Sunday in Eugene.

EUGENE, Ore. -- Brooke Gilbert found the upper-right corner of the Oregon net on a penalty kick in the 85th minute, but the Ducks' pair of first-half goals in the 10th and 34th minutes were too much for the Longhorns to overcome on Sunday at Pape Field.

Gilbert's goal, which came after Oregon keeper Abby Steele took down freshman forward Jasmine Hart in front of the net, was UT's only score of the match despite the Longhorns hitting two shots off the post and crossbar in the final five minutes of play. Texas outshot the Ducks 14-9 in the game and created eight corner kick opportunities to Oregon's four.

Texas (1-2-1) came out with energy and put pressure on the Duck defense early, controlling the tempo and keeping the ball mostly in Oregon's defensive third in the opening minutes. The Longhorns maintained an advantage in possession for much of the first half, but both of the Ducks' first-half goals were the result of up-tempo transitions that pushed the pace with numbers on offense. Bri Pugh converted in the 10th minute on a run from the right flank, shooting from six yards, just outside the reach of Texas sophomore keeper Abby Smith. Oregon's game-winner in the 34th minute came from ShayLee Miner, whose shot from the end line deflected off Smith and into the goal.

UT created several opportunities to get itself on the scoreboard in the opening half. In the 19th minute, Smith sent a free kick from behind the half line that found its way to senior Gabby Zarnegar at the top of the 18-yard box. Zarnegar turned and sent a shot toward the Oregon goal that was corralled by Steele. Texas' best scoring opportunity in the first half came in the 22nd minute when sophomore Kelsey Shimmick kicked a low cross into the six-yard box. Sophomore Chantale Campbell made a hard cut to lose her defender and took a left-footed shot that sailed high of the crossbar.

Texas came out with renewed intensity in the second half, creating five shot opportunities, including two corners, within the first six minutes. Freshman midfielder Julia Dyche sent one from the top of the box in the 46th minute with Zarnegar tallying a pair in the 46th and 47th minutes. In the 50th and 51st minutes, the Longhorns had a pair of corner-kick chances, one that sophomore midfielder Lindsey Meyer managed to get her head on but and another in the 51st minute that curved out of bounds over the goal.

In the closing 10 minutes, freshman Marchelle Davis got a shot off inside the box that hit the right post and Shimmick's left-footed kick at the top of the box hit the crossbar, before Gilbert halved the deficit with a little more than five minutes to play.

Texas returns to Austin for a pair of home matches next weekend. The Longhorns will take on Samford on Friday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. before turning around to play Illinois State on Sunday, Sept. 8 at noon.