Soccer rolls past Houston Baptist in exhibition, 3-0

Friday, August 14

Austin, Texas

7:30 p.m.

University of Texas

1-0-0

Houston Baptist (exhibition)

0-1-0

HBU

Texas

Soccer rolls past Houston Baptist in exhibition, 3-0

08.14.2015 | Soccer

Box Score

Longhorns get goals from Mikayla Flores, Lindsey Meyer and Jasmine Hart in victory

AUSTIN, Texas – On Friday night at Mike A. Myers Stadium, Texas soccer got goals from redshirt freshman forward Mikayla Flores, senior midfielder Lindsey Meyer and junior forward Jasmine Hart in racing past Houston Baptist during an exhibition contest, 3-0.

Against the Huskies, a 2014 NCAA Tournament qualifier, the Longhorns proved in control throughout, out-shooting HBU by a commanding 23-5 total (11-0 in the opening half) while owning an 18-1 advantage on corner kicks. Standout senior goalkeeper Abby Smith was rarely challenged, making three routine stops between the pipes in posting the shutout.

Newcomers made quite an impression for the Horns in the match. Flores registered her first career goal just 15:06 into her collegiate debut, while freshman midfielder Katie Glenn and rookie forward Alexa Adams were each credited with single assists during their first action on the Myers Stadium pitch.

Right from the kick-off, Texas managed to keep the majority of possession in the final third throughout the opening few minutes of the contest, but couldn't get off a shot on goal.

The first shot for either team occurred 11:03 into the match as a quick counterattack up the left wing ended in a blocked effort from the left side of the six-yard-box by sophomore forward Olivia Brook.

The breakthrough would come soon after as Glenn delivered a pass up the right side to Flores. The La Verne, Calif., product made a quick move around a defender and fired a quick shot from 12 yards out at a tough angle that tickled the far side netting to make it 1-0.

That score seemed to settle Texas' offensive group into the contest as UT followed that goal with a rapid succession of corner kicks and scoring chances.

Off a corner during the 23rd minute, Meyer leapt high over the crowd to head a ball on frame, but the effort was blocked. Hart had a chance at the rebound in the scrum inside the six, but her quick try was gobbled up on a save by Houston Baptist keeper Alanis Guevara.

Texas again came close at 27:07 as Meyer, in firm control of the airspace on the night, battled to receive a corner at the back post. Unfortunately, her header from 10 yards out traveled just high.

The Coppell, Texas, native only had to wait 3:22 for a second chance as her headed try off a corner from junior midfielder Julia Dyche found the net from eight yards out to boost UT to a two-score advantage.

With approximately 10 minutes remaining in the opening stanza, the Huskies finally made several forays into the offensive third. The Texas backline refused to budge, however, not allowing a single shot over the first 45 minutes.

HBU finally managed its initial shot of the contest at the 51:16 mark as a drive from 22 yards out near the top of the box was easily handled by Smith.

After another Meyer header in the 54th minute literally scraped the top of the bar while going high, Houston Baptist got a headed 14-yard effort from the middle of the 18 by forward Ellee Hall that traveled right into the waiting arms of UT's net minder.

With chance after chance proving just high or wide of frame for the Burnt Orange & White, it was the speed of Adams that led the Texas' final score. The Lancaster, Calif., native demonstrated a higher gear by racing around her marker on the left wing and crossing a ball into the middle. Battling inside the six, Hart out-muscled a defender to tip the feed into the net from four yards out at 78:43 for a 3-0 lead.

Hart almost made it a brace about five minutes later, out-leaping the crowd inside the six to head a corner feed off the crossbar before it was cleared out of danger.

Houston Baptist got one final effort from distance by midfielder Blake Martin with 35 seconds left, but the try ventured well wide left as the Longhorns completed their commanding victory.

Texas Head Coach Angela Kelly

On 3-0 victory: "Just pleased with the amount of scoring opportunities we created. Lots of great individual efforts. Mikayla Flores is extremely dynamic. It was great for her to get our first goal of the season. Alexa Adams is shot out of a cannon. Then you have the mainstays. Abby [Smith] wasn't tested much but controlled the backline. Then you have Lindsey Meyer in the midfield. Chantale Campbell was linking passes. Katie Glenn, a freshman, is going to be exceptional. I thought collectively as a unit, for the ninth day of the preseason and a bunch of two-a-days, it was great to play an opponent and do a lot of great things. We have a lot of work to do. We're going to get right back to it."

On play of the backline (three new starters): "I thought the backline did okay. There were a couple of times we were caught out, and we need to work on our positioning a little better and dictating play and starting play out of the back. For the most part, you can't be overly critical. Brinkley Field got valuable time this spring and earned the right to start back there. It's great to have Ali Schmalz back. I thought Aaron Strawser had a tremendous game. We were able to attack out of the back a little bit. The foundation is there, and now we just need to tighten up some things."

On set pieces: "If you are getting corners, it means you getting into the attacking third and getting around the corner and getting numbers forward. Lindsey provides us with a tremendous target. We were able to find some other options in there. We are going to be able to very creative in our set pieces, and I thought we demonstrated some of that. Jasmine Hart had a great athletic movement for the header that went off the crossbar. I think we are all hungry and excited to be able to put on that jersey that says Texas across the chest."

Texas redshirt freshman forward Mikayla Flores

On scoring in her first game at Texas: "It's a privilege. It feels great to have my first game back and be able to celebrate with my team like that and just to be back on the field. It feels amazing. It felt unreal."

On what the team learned: "I think we learned the best way to play is to play together. We know we have a long way to go. Tonight really showed us what we need to work on, but also what we are good at with our strong points."