Soccer opens the 2017 campaign by holding off Rice, 2-1

Friday, August 18

Austin, Texas

7 p.m.

University of Texas

1-0-0

Rice

0-1-0

Rice

Texas

Soccer opens the 2017 campaign by holding off Rice, 2-1

08.18.2017 | Soccer

Box Score

Freshman midfielder Haley Berg set the tone by scoring her first career goal just 25 seconds into the contest

AUSTIN, Texas – On Friday night at Mike A. Myers Stadium, Texas soccer (1-0-0) got the first career goal from freshman midfielder Haley Berg, a goal and an assist from sophomore forward Cyera Hintzen and six huge saves from sophomore net minder Nicole Curry to help the Longhorns christen the 2017 campaign with a 2-1 victory over Rice (0-1-0).

Berg's goal, off assists from Hintzen and redshirt sophomore forward Mikayla Flores, was one of the fastest to start a match in UT history, coming just 25 seconds into the contest to set a positive early tone for the Burnt Orange & White. The quickest opening score to a match in Texas program history was 10 seconds by Jill Cook against Vanderbilt back on October 15, 1995.

Hintzen led the way for the Longhorns offensively with a goal and an assist on the night for three total points, while redshirt freshman forward Cydney Billups registered her first career assist and point. Curry was stong between the pipes, stopping a pair of Owl 1-v-1 opportunities as part of her six stops in managing her initial career triumph.

For the match, Texas and Rice dead-locked at 12 shots each with the Longhorns recording an 8-7 advantage on shots on goal.

It was a dream start for the Horns to the 2017 campaign as UT moved to a 1-0 lead over the Owls just 25 seconds in. Hintzen moved up the left wing before crossing a ball into the middle. Flores attempted to chest the ball down inside the 18-yard box but ended up delivering a pass straight to Berg who turned and quickly finished her first career score from seven yards out.

Rice responded well to the early UT tally, settling into the match and improving its offensive pressure over the next few minutes despite being thwarted by numerous offside calls.

Berg was at it again during the 19th minute as her lengthy shot off a free kick was saved at the left post by Rice keeper Maya Hoyer.

Flores almost doubled Texas' advantage at 24:08 as her effort from the top of the six-yard box was saved off the line by a Rice defender.

The Owls nearly tied the match in the 28th minute as forward Marissa Topolski received a long pass through the UT back line and raced in 1-v-1 against Curry. UT's net minder was up to the challenge, however, smothering the shot to preserve the tenuous lead.

The Burnt Orange & White finally located its second goal at 36:07 to boost the advantage to 2-0. Billups received a feed out on the right wing and moved past a defender to the middle. Near the top of the 18, the Greenwood Village, Colo., native passed out on the left side to Hintzen. The Garland, Texas, product wasted no time by finishing her third career goal into the lower right corner.

Late in the opening half, Rice forced UT's Curry into another dramatic 1-v-1 stop as midfielder Lianne Mananquil's try from point-blank range was stuffed on a dive.

Out of the locker room break, both teams forced early saves with Hintzen's effort from 15 yards out at 55:51 requiring Hoyer to make a tough save before diving to cover a rebound.

Things got more interesting during the 60th minute as the Owls managed to cut Texas' lead in half. A long pass ahead by defender Mallory Radtke found Mananquil marked out in front of the left post. Despite UT's defensive pressure, the Rice midfielder managed a quick touch and her roller from eight yards out eluded a diving Curry to make it 2-1.

Searching for the equalizer, Rice forced another save at 76:11 as midfielder Erin Mikeska's lengthy try was routinely nabbed by Curry.

With time beginning to run short, Texas junior midfielder Katie Glenn caused havoc for the Owls over the final 10 minutes. The Round Rock, Texas, product had a try saved from going in by the Rice defense at 80:42, forced a save at 82:46 and had a solid effort blocked out front at 84:28.

Over the final five minutes, Rice had one final opportunity to locate the tying goal, but Topolski's shot from 20-plus yards out on the right wing drifted just outside the left upright

Texas Postgame Quotes

Head Coach Angela Kelly

On adjustments For Sunday's match: I think we're just going to grow and learn. This is the first game of the season, a true game. The majority of our lineup are freshmen and sophomores, so it's a little of baptism by fire. I really like where were are. The goal from Haley, just 25 seconds in, is pretty special for a freshman to step in. And that was a great ball in by Cyera Hintzen. That's going to be a special combination going forward. Regardless of the result tonight, we're always in a position of teaching and learning. (Former Tennessee Lady Vol coach) Pat Summitt always taught me, "It's much easier to teach off of a win than a loss." And it was Texas coach Jody Conradt that taught me that "you can't go undefeated unless you win the first one." Those are two legends that are in the back of my mind right now. I'm pleased with the result, and we're going to recover and be ready for Sunday.

On defensive pressure: They got in behind us more than I would have liked, but we can solve that. There are a couple of tweaks that we can make so that it's not as disruptive of a style and cleaning the ball up and getting down the field. We'll talk to our group about what needed to happen there, and we'll organize and move forward.

Freshman midfielder/forward Haley Berg

On if it was expected for a first career college goal to come so quickly: No, I just expected to take it game-by-game. I didn't know when it was going to come. I was hoping it was going to come eventually, but I'm glad it was the first game.

On what what happened in the first 30 seconds to allow the goal to happen: I just think we knew that we had to come out with a hard mentality. We knew from the kickoff that Rice was going to be a really hard opponent, so we just started off fast. Cyera (Hintzen) had a great cross, Mik (Mikayla Flores) was right there, and she laid it off and just made it easy for me.

Sophomore goalkeeper Nicole Curry

On what she saw of the team's defensive play: Our main goal is just to stay compact and to keep talking, that's really all a defense can do. Everyone really focused on that, and I thought that everyone did a great job.

On positive takeaways going into Sunday's match: I think definitely the intensity. We came out strong, which showed on the early goal. We always want to start off strong like that. Just the energy, we've really been focusing on keeping a positive attitude, keeping high energy throughout the game no matter what time is on the clock.

On what the early goal gave to the team: A fast goal always sets the standard for how you're going to play throughout the game. The higher the intensity raises, the faster it goes, so it just allows the whole team to bring up the energy and keep fighting.