Soccer’s Adams nets second-straight brace in rolling past TCU, 3-0

Sunday, October 11

Austin, Texas

4 p.m.

University of Texas

6-3-4, 3-1-1Big 12

TCU

8-7-0, 2-3-0Big 12

TCU

Texas

Soccer’s Adams nets second-straight brace in rolling past TCU, 3-0

10.11.2015 | Soccer

Box Score

Freshman forward totaled four goals over Texas’ unbeaten weekend (2-0-0) against Iowa State & TCU

AUSTIN, Texas – The second consecutive brace from freshman forward Alexa Adams and the second goal of the season from senior forward Kelsey Shimmick backed senior goalkeeper Abby Smith's school career record-tying 29th shutout as Texas (6-3-4, 3-1-1 Big 12 Conference) rolled past TCU (8-7-0, 2-3-0 Big 12) on Sunday at Mike A. Myers Stadium, 3-0.

The three goals marked a season team-scoring high for the Longhorns' offense, while Adams' two goals gave her four combined goals over Texas' last two matches and a team-leading five goals for the season. With her weekend output, Adams also became the first UT player to total four goals over a two-contest stretch since then-rookie Olivia Brook pulled the feat on Aug. 31 & Sept. 5, 2014, during wins against Nevada and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

For Smith, the shutout was her fifth of the season and the 29th of her illustrious career, tying the Plano, Texas, native with former Longhorns net minder Dianna Pfenninger for the school career record.

Shimmick's goal improved her season total to two and her career offensive numbers to nine goals, 10 assists and 28 total points. Freshman forward Mikayla Flores worked hard up top throughout the match and was rewarded with her second career assist on Shimmick's score at 20:18.

"Every win in conference is important, especially protecting your home field," Texas head coach Angela Kelly said. "I was really proud of the effort and some great finishes. But the point I really highlighted with the team was the clean sheet, and Abby Smith is one step closer (to the school career shutout record). I'm just really happy with how well organized we were and how they followed the game plan.

"We don't score those goals unless Mikayla is working as hard as she is off the ball. She creates so much, and just because she's not on the score sheet, she's a huge part of that. For Alexa's finishes, if you look at all four of them this weekend, they were world-class finishes. They're not just by luck, or that she just happened to shoot it in; her volley on Friday night was on the SportsCenter's 'Top 10 Plays.' The finishes this afternoon were some of the best I've seen. As a freshman, scoring four goals…I'd like to hear about someone in the country doing that this weekend against quality opponents."

TCU managed the initial scoring chance for either team 4:56 into the contest as forward Emma Heckendorn managed a shot from outside the top of the 18 that was saved on a leap by Smith.

It took just 7:58 of the match for Adams to show the home crowd that she was planning to pick-up where she left off on Friday night by scoring her third goal in two matches. A ball ahead dropped at the feet of the Lancaster, Calif., native, and she made a quick move to her left past a defender. Locating plenty of space outside the top of the box, Adams launched a left-footed bender from 22 yards out that found the upper 90 past TCU keeper Shannon Coffer to make it 1-0.

The Longhorns had a golden chance to double its lead in the 14th minute that went awry. Adams blew past a defender up the right wing and crossed a ball inside the 18. Senior midfielder Lindsey Meyer was trailing the play, but the ball got caught up a bit in her feet as an eventual shot from 13 yards ventured wide left.

A quick break from the Burnt Orange & White successfully expanded the UT lead to 2-0 at the 20:18 mark. Flores corralled a ball deep in her own defensive end and delivered a perfect ball up the left wing to Shimmick in a ton of space. The Grapevine, Texas, native broke in 1-v-1 on the goal and guided a right-footed poke past the keeper into the right side netting from 10 yards out.

The Texas offensive assault continued during the 25th minute as a corner was fed from the right towards the back post. Meyer was waiting in some space and managed a header towards goal that was blocked back out into the middle. Senior defender Brinkley Field raced in to corral the ball and fired a wicked drive from 30 yards out that forced a tough diving deflection by Coffer over the end line.

In all, UT dominated the run of play over the opening 45 minutes, out-shooting the Horned Frogs by a 9-4 total and 7-2 in shots on frame.

Just two minutes into the second half, TCU earned a free kick in a dangerous spot just a few yards outside the top of the 18. Heckendorn stepped up and drilled a shot into the Texas defensive wall. Off the rebound, her follow-up effort from distance traveled well over the bar for a harmless goal kick.

Off a corner in the 54th minute, the Longhorns again came close to a third. The feed from senior midfielder Chantale Campbell was delivered into the middle to Meyer, but the headed effort from the Coppell, Texas, product scraped the outside of the left post as it bounced wide.

Campbell got a lot of power into a blast from just outside the top of the 18 with 32:57 left on the regulation clock, forcing Coffer to make a leaping fingertip save up and over the crossbar.

The advantage finally moved to 3-0 with 29:08 left through some major help from the TCU defense. A giveaway inside Horned Frog defensive territory traveled right to Adams, who was slowly heading back up field. The Lancaster, Calif., native corralled the ball and moved in quickly 1-v-1 on Coffer, beating her to the right for her second score of the match and fourth over the last two contests.

Trailing big on the scoreboard, TCU attempted to start its comeback with 22:45 remaining as a cross from the right wing was headed over the bar by midfielder Mackenzie Koch.

Another try from deep out on the right wing by Heckendorn with 13:25 left was gobbled up routinely by Smith for her third save of the match.

From there, Texas' "D" completed its fifth shutout of the season with the Horned Frogs only scoring opportunity over the remaining time coming on a shot from Heckendorn that proved well wide right at 79:53.

Texas Post-Match Quotes

Head Coach Angela Kelly

On how momentum from this weekend's matches and how they can build into next weekend's match against Texas Tech…

I think what we were able to see was that we have been creating tons of opportunities all season. For whatever reason, or for whatever circumstance, they haven't always been falling for us. Today was an example of creating an opportunity and tucking our opportunities away early. That's the difference in the game of soccer. That just takes the weight off. We didn't take our foot off the pedal; a 2-0 lead at halftime is the scariest lead in the game of soccer. We really challenged them at halftime, and they came out and they pushed for another one. I'm just really happy for the program and very, very happy for all of our young ladies.

Senior forward Kelsey Shimmick

On what the win means to the team…

I just think it shows that we're here to play and no matter who comes in, especially here [at home], that we can take them on. Our next one is at Texas Tech, so now we just have to focus on that. But we're just going to enjoy this win for today, and Tuesday make sure we know we've got to get ready to take them on.

On her goal today…

It felt so good, it was just like 'finally!' Stuff started to come together, and we could finally put them in the back of the net. It was good for her [Alexa], but for anyone to put it in the back of the net, it's great.

Freshman forward Alexa Adams

On scoring four goals over the past two games…

I think it's just time that we started finishing our opportunities.