Soccer takes season opener over Miami (FL), 1-0

Sunday, August 23

Charleston, S.C.

11 a.m.

University of Texas

1-0

Miami (FL)

0-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Texas	0	1	1
Miami (Fla.)	0	0	0

08.23.2015 | Soccer

Box Score

Senior goalkeeper Abby Smith scores her third career goal on a nearly full pitch effort

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. – A nearly full-field punt off the foot of senior goalkeeper Abby Smith from her own 18-yard box at the 60:57 mark resulted in her third career goal and proved enough to lead Texas soccer (1-0) past Miami (FL) (0-1) on an extremely hot and humid Sunday afternoon in Mount Pleasant, S.C., 1-0.

Having gathered the ball inside her own 18, she unleashed a long drive with the breeze at her back. With freshman forwards Alexa Adams and Mikayla Flores pressing up field, the ball landed behind the defense, bounced up and over the keeper and eventually rolled into the twine for the eventual match-winning score.

"When I got the ball in my hands, I saw that everyone was tired, so I wanted to give them a little break,' Smith said. "I just held the ball in my hands for a half-second, watched everyone head up field, and then hit it long. The wind was at my back, and the keeper was high. Alexa pressed on, and the ball landed behind the defender. The keeper started back-pedaling, but then she realized it was over her head. The ball started rolling in with Alexa pressing on just to make sure it went in goal, and it did."

Texas controlled the statistical categories in the contest, out-shooting the Hurricanes by a commanding 19-6 count, including 11-4 over the final 45 minutes, while hitting the crossbar once while boasting a 7-3 edge on corner kicks.

"For the opening match, we're excited as always to come out with a 'W,'" Texas head coach Angela Kelly said. "There are still a ton of things that we need to work on. As our schedule would have it, we're going to be really battle tested over the next week and a half, but that's exactly the way we planned it. Miami was a great opponent today. There were hot conditions, and I thought both teams battled. We just created some opportunities and feel fortunate that we were able to put it in the back of the net.

"It seems a little fluky (Smith's goal), but for Abby Smith, it's not. Last season, in our opener in Hawai'i, she scored off a free kick against Arizona State. A lot of the credit has to go to Alexa Adams for chasing that ball down. Abby obviously has the ability to put the ball in dangerous situations at any moment. That goal resulted from good organization and mentality from our frontrunners to put pressure on their backline, and then Abby's ability to strike a ball. I'm very pleased for her in her senior year to have the first goal of the season."

The first opportunity of the contest for either team came during the third minute as Texas earned a free kick from about 30 yards out. Junior midfielder Julia Dyche stepped up and fired a drive right into the waiting arms of Miami (FL) keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce.

Texas had the best of the early going, managing two shots and a pair of corners over the initial 13 minutes of play. Meanwhile, at the other end of the pitch, the Longhorns' backline kept UM from posting any real threat.

During the 15th minute, Miami (FL) finally managed its first real offensive chance as Amy Schmidt made a run in behind her marker near the top right corner of the 18. Smith raced quickly off her line and slid in front to disrupt the shot. The effort slowly rolled about three yards past the keeper toward frame before being cleared away from any danger.

A defensive handball about eight yards outside the top of the 18 granted the Hurricanes a great opportunity during the 20th minute. The initial shot from UM's Natalie Moik was blocked solidly by UT's wall, while the follow-up effort was driven wide right and over the end line for a goal kick.

Some solid work in the offensive third near the left sideline by Texas senior defender Aaron Strawser during the 25th minute led directly to a blocked shot from senior midfielder/forward Chantale Campbell.

Texas earned its third corner of the contest in the 32nd minute allowed Dyche to deliver a ball from the left corner. Meyer stationed herself at the back post looking for the opportunity to launch one of her patented headers, but a Hurricane defender managed to leap just in front of the 6-0 midfielder to clear it away.

The best scoring chance over the opening 45 minutes for either squad came with approximately six minutes left in the opening stanza as a bad pass from UM's keeper was swiped on the left wing by Adams. The Lancaster, Calif., native turned and passed ahead to Campbell in some space just outside the left edge of the 18. Campbell's quick lobbed shot would have beaten Tullis-Joyce, but the looping effort rattled off the crossbar and back out into the middle. Sophomore forward Olivia Brook tried a quick rebound effort, but the ball traveled right into the keeper's arms to end a major scoring chance.

The two teams headed into the locker room dead-locked at 0-0 with the Longhorns ahead both 8-2 on shots and 3-0 on corner kicks.

Just 1:19 out of the break, Flores wasted no time posting a great scoring threat for Texas, racing by her marker to force a deflected save on a strong shot near the right post. Off the follow-up corner, Campbell delivered a ball from the left corner to the near post that resulted in a headed try from Meyer that drifted wide right.

Back at the other end, a foul just outside the box granted Miami (FL) another dangerous chance with approximately 37 minutes remaining, but again, UM's effort ricocheted off Texas' solid defensive wall.

The match turned shockingly at the 60:57 mark on a truly remarkable effort from Texas' Smith. With the ball in her hands inside her own 18, the Plano, Texas, net minder launched a punt all the way to the other end of the pitch. The ball hit behind the backline, took a high bounce up and over the UM keeper and rolled into the net for Smith's third career goal and a stunning 1-0 lead.

Searching for an equalizer, the Hurricanes managed to get Jasmine Peterson into some space during the 82nd minute as a through ball up the middle found her nearing the top of the box. Her dangerous shot proved solid, but Smith saved it on a leaping effort to maintain UT's one-score advantage.

Off a throw-in played to the middle, junior forward Jasmine Hart nearly added to Texas' lead at 86:47, launching a shot from 16 yards out on the right side that traveled just high over the upper right corner and out of play.

From there, it was just left to the Longhorns to run out the remaining time to seal a victory in the opening match of the season.