The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
0-1-0
Seattle
1-0-0
Soccer falls in season opener to Seattle University, 1-0
08.19.2016 | Soccer
Longhorns out-shot the Redhawks during the defeat by a 17-10 count
AUSTIN, Texas – On Friday night at Mike A. Myers Stadium, Texas soccer battled a 1:03 lightning delay and a tough opponent in three-time defending Western Athletic Conference champion Seattle University before falling to the Redhawks via a 17th minute goal in both teams' 2016 season opener, 1-0.
The defeat marked the first loss for the Burnt Orange & White to start a campaign since 2011 when UT suffered a 3-1 setback to Loyola Marymount during the season prior to the arrival of head coach Angela Kelly to helm the program.
Texas out-shot Seattle by a 17-10 count and led 5-3 on corner kicks, while SU managed a 3-1 advantage in shots on frame.
"I think during the first five minutes we started strong," Texas head coach Angela Kelly said. "Then we allowed them to feel like they could play with us, and to their credit, Seattle did extremely well. We allowed them to get into the game. We were able to reorganize in that brief intermission we had, and then it became a question of mentality. Our girls need to have the mentality they had towards the end of the match, at the very beginning of the match. We need to be able to generate more scoring opportunities."
The teams felt each other out over the opening few minutes of the match as the only shot over the first five minutes came on a lengthy blocked try from Texas senior midfielder Julia Dyche.
During the eighth minute, Seattle managed its first real chance as forward Karli White broke in from the left side. UT starting keeper Cara Connatser raced out quickly, however, to deflect the ball away before a shot could be registered.
The Longhorns responded back with their own scoring opportunity at 11:41 as sophomore midfielder Katie Glenn fired from 15 yards out on the right side. Her try was blocked and rolled into the hands of SU net minder Ashley Routh. UT senior forward Jasmine Hart was positioned right there and managed to kick the ball free from the keeper's grasp. While attempting to get off a shot, however, Hart fell on the keeper at the right post as a foul was called on Texas.
Seattle would soon gain more of the run of play as a header off a cross by White drifted high of frame at 14:53.
That proved just the beginning as the Redhawks soon broke to a 1-0 lead on a score by forward Brie Hooks. The decisive play started on a through ball from midfielder Jennifer Plummer up the right wing that located Hooks in space behind the Texas backline. The Maple Valley, Wash., native quickly fired a right-footed shot from 15 yards out that just escaped past the diving Connatser's fingertips before setting into the left-side netting.
The Longhorns tried to answer right back as sophomore midfielder Nakia Graham attempted a shot from distance at 19:24 that was tipped by the keeper up and off the top of the crossbar. The ensuing corner kick by freshman defender Emma Jett was perfectly placed into the middle of the 18. Waiting on its arrival was Hart, but her flicked header drifted wide left of goal.
SU nearly doubled its lead during the 31st minute as White managed to break in alone against UT's keeper. Facing a 1-v-1 situation, Connatser charged out to cut down the angle, forcing a subsequent shot to travel well over the bar for a harmless goal kick.
With 12:31 left in the opening stanza, another solid Texas cross nearly located Jett at the left post, but proved just inches too high for the 5-10 defender's headed attempt.
Not long after that lightning flashed near the facility, forcing the teams to vacate the pitch and head to the locker rooms for 1:03.
Following the re-start after the weather break, Seattle put together solid pressure, but couldn't get off a shot against UT's 'D."
The last good scoring chance for either team during the opening 45 minutes came with 2:38 remaining on the clock as a header by Texas junior midfielder Morgan Murphy from the top of the 18 traveled wide left.
After a quiet period to begin the second stanza, the Longhorns missed a massive opportunity to level the match at 53:27. A ball in towards the top of the six-yard box was deflected by Routh before bouncing right to the feet of sophomore forward Alexa Adams. Unfortunately for Texas, the Lancaster, Calif., product's quick try from an angle facing a clear net traveled left of the goal mouth.
The Burnt Orange & White continued to ratchet up the pressure throughout the second half with shots from Adams, Dyche and Murphy all either being blocked or venturing wide.
Desperate for an equalizer, the Horns nearly found one at 74:35 off a cross, but a Graham header from nine yards out traveled right into Routh's waiting arms for SU's only save of the contest.
Down the stretch, UT would earn an 83rd minute corner but couldn't manage any more scoring opportunities as the Redhawks effectively wasted the remaining time to earn the 1-0 victory.
Texas head coach Angela Kelly
On Seattle's goal: They found a free player at midfield, and she attacked the back line and made a good finish.
On if missed chances will eventually turn into scoring opportunities: Yeah, I think it's like anything and you just have to break that seal. We created some good looks and somebody has to take that responsibility on their shoulders and go ahead and tuck one away. I believe, with the confidence of any team at the beginning of the season, as soon as one person finds one, then everybody plays a little more loose and more will follow.
On the team's senior leadership and what effect they made in tonight's match: I think Julia Dyche, Isabelle Kerr, Jasmine Hart and Cara Connatser... those were the four leaders that were chosen by the team. I put a lot of ownership on them. They're doing a great job. This is a tough result. We're going to re-organize. It's very early, and we have nine days to prepare for our next match, so I think we'll be able to learn a lot from this match. The season's still young.
Team Stats
Hooks, Brie (1)
Assisted By: Plummer, Jennifer
Breakaway right footer from 15 yds out
16:14
