The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas Tech
No. 8 Soccer battles past Texas Tech to stay perfect, 3-2 (2OT)
09.29.2017 | Soccer
Sophomore forward Cyera Hintzen scores a brace (two goals) including the “golden goal” winner at 101:32
AUSTIN, Texas – On Friday night in front of a season-high 1,662 fans at Mike A. Myers Stadium, No. 8 Texas soccer (11-0, 3-0 Big 12 Conference) got two stunning goals from sophomore forward Cyera Hintzen, including her second "golden goal" of the year at 101:32, and a goal from freshman midfielder Haley Berg to outlast a rugged Texas Tech (8-3-1, 1-1-1 Big 12 Conference) squad and remain perfect, 3-2 (2OT).
With the victory, the Longhorns equaled the program's longest winning streak of 11 matches originally established from Sept. 21-Oct. 28, 2001. UT also remains the only undefeated and untied team in all of NCAA Division I women's collegiate soccer, improved to a perfect 9-0 in one-goal decisions and is 3-0 in overtime this season.
Hintzen managed a magical brace during the match, while registering her team-leading sixth and seventh goals of the year, blasting home a go-ahead drive from 25 yards out at 78:14 before ending the contest on her "golden goal" from 19 yards out in the 102nd minute. Berg handed the Longhorns an early 1-0 lead on her fourth goal of the campaign at 18:53, while junior midfielder Kayra Dollas was credited with her third assist of 2017 by setting up Hintzen's winning score.
Texas out-shot the Red Raiders in the match by a 21-17 count, including 3-0 in overtime, and managed a 5-4 advantage on corner kicks, but TTU won the shot-on-goal battle, 12-8.
Reigning United Soccer Coaches National Player of the Week sophomore goalkeeper Nicole Curry made a career-high nine saves in earning her 11th career victory between the pipes.
Texas Tech showed it came to play right from the start of the match, earning the majority of possession over the opening few minutes.
Neither team could manage a shot, however, until Hintzen took advantage of some solid work by Dollas to launch a quick shot from the top of the box that traveled wide at 6:47.
Curry picked up her first save of the match at 8:55 as Texas Tech defender Cassie Conarty tried her luck from distance but drove the initial shot for TTU straight into the keeper's arms.
Somewhat against the run of play during the early going, the Longhorns jumped to an early lead at 18:53. After Hintzen beat a defender and made a move towards the left end line, the Garland, Texas, native crossed a ball into the middle of the 18. Waiting was Berg, who made a deft one-touch of the ball in the air past a TTU defender before driving home her fourth of the season from 15 yards out to make it 1-0.
The Red Raiders nearly responded in the 24th minute as forward Ally Griffin fired a shot from 22 yards. Curry came up with a terrific save, however, and a rebound was quickly cleared away by the Texas defense.
In the back-and-forth affair, the Burnt Orange & White managed a flurry of shots starting at 26:51 as junior forward Alexa Adams tried a shot from 10 yards out on the left edge of the 18. The ball was deflected by TTU keeper Carissa Christensen out to her left to the edge of the six-yard box. Racing into the play was UT redshirt freshman forward Cydney Billups, who got off a sliding shot that was saved from traveling into goal by a diving Tech defender.
Searching for an equalizer, the Red Raiders found it at 39:45 as forward Gwennie Puente scored from 12 yards out. TTU's Jade King started the play by battling two Texas defenders to get off a shot from the middle of the box. Curry deflected the original effort out to her left, but Griffin was waiting to control the rebound. Her cross back into the 18 traveled straight to Puente in space, and she finished from 14 yards to dead-lock things at 1-1.
Texas Tech managed five of its 17 total shots over the last 6:18 as the Red Raiders went into the halftime break with the momentum.
Out of the locker room, TTU nearly moved in front during the 51st minute as midfielder Carly Wickenheiser's shot from a sharp angle out on the left wing was saved off the line by a Texas defender.
Both offenses kept pushing, creating chance-after-chance over the next 25-plus minutes. Hintzen, redshirt sophomore forward Mikayla Flores, Berg and Glenn all managed opportunities for the Longhorns, while Puente, forward Kirsten Davis, King and midfielder Jordie Harr fired shots for Texas Tech.
At 78:14, Hintzen utilized the first of her magic on the evening, taking control of the ball 40 yards from goal, dribbling in and unleashing a shot that found the upper 90 from 25 yards out to hand Texas a stunning, 2-1 lead.
Needing to hunt another equalizer, TTU forced more Curry action with Wickenheiser and Davis efforts necessitating saves at 83:13 and 86:03, respectively.
With time running short, the Red Raiders found some late magic of their own. Defender Rebekah O'Brien drove a long ball up the right wing that dropped right in front of King. She took one dribble before beating Curry to the left post to tie the match up at 2-2 with just 2:11 remaining in regulation. That proved the last chance for either team as overtime would be required to settle things.
Neither squad could get much going during the first extra session with Glenn's wide attempt from distance at 98:41 serving as the lone shot for either team.
Starting the final overtime, the Longhorns seemed to locate an extra gear as Hintzen had a shot blocked just 30 seconds in.
With the ball still in Texas' offensive end, Dollas did strong work to win a ball outside the 18, heading it back downfield to Hintzen. UT's forward made a quick turn and chipped a shot from 19 yards out that tickled the twine to end the thrilling contest at 101:32.
Texas Post-Match Quotes
Head Coach Angela Kelly
On the overtime victory: We need to credit Texas Tech. That's a heck of a team. They're dynamic up top on their front six. It was a battle. They were always going to be a handful for us. They punished us twice for mistakes, but we figured out ways to have the resiliency to come back. When you get deflated, the ability to be able to have a response is important and for a young squad that's difficult, because they're pulling back on experiences that they might not have had. Haley Berg's goal was big time. And then Cyera Hintzen, what more can you say about that young lady? We're just very fortunate that she's representing the University of Texas. She is such a class act. She gets it done in the classroom. She tries to out-work her teammates every day. She was voted one of our team leaders. She gets everybody going. She thinks about everybody before she thinks about herself. She tracks back on the defensive side, and she obviously has a world-class ability within her. That was just a really special performance by her tonight.
On Texas Tech's physicality: You don't really adjust to it. You just know, and you start to understand the personalities of teams. We were ready for a battle. The fouling in the different parts of the field, that's just part of the game. Once again, just really pleased with our composure and our response.
On the crowd atmosphere: First, let's say thank you to the UT Band. I think everyone was entertained tonight. I just really want to say thank you. We have a really special young group. It's wonderful for the fans to see first hand the speed of play, the style of two great collegiate teams. That means a ton. It especially gives the players a great feeling. We're always looking to give back and connect with the community, and I think we were able to entertain everyone tonight.
On the pressure of being ranked: In my opinion, pressure is perceived. It's just how you cognitively think about it. We haven't won anything yet. It's always been one game at a time for me, with any team I've represented or coached. You're only as good as your last practice, and you're only as good as your last match. Anytime you rest on laurels, this game will come back and bite you. I won four national championships in college and a few things in coaching along the way thinking that way. Here, at the University of Texas, that's the only thing we think about. I want the young players to find joy in moments, and they certainly had a wonderful performance tonight. I want them to be excited about that for the evening. We're going to play the University of Oklahoma, at their place, on Sunday, and we have to have a response. We have to get recovered, hydrated and fed, and then we can organize in the morning.
Player Quotes
On her game-winning goal:
Sophomore forward Cyera Hintzen: I barely even remember the play. I just knew that we wanted to put the game away, and that we wanted to end it. We only needed a few seconds. We definitely couldn't have done it without everybody, the pressure from the defense, the buildup. I think it was just amazing from the team as a whole to create that opportunity.
On the importance of this win:
Hintzen: It's definitely a huge win. We knew it was going to be a battle. Texas Tech is always a big rival, so it was just a really big win for us and we're looking forward to the next game.
On Texas Tech's physicality:
Hintzen: I think we knew that it was going to be a battle. We knew they were going to come out and be aggressive. Coach Ange addressed that in the meeting, and I think we adjusted to it well. It got tough, but we fought back. I think that it was good for us. It woke us up a little bit, and we knew that we needed to go.
On the crowd atmosphere:
Freshman midfielder Haley Berg: Obviously, we're motivated to win every game. That's our goal. But to have them [the fans] adds motivation, and any time a big play would happen you could hear it and it fired you up. It was just really awesome to have everyone here, especially because you wouldn't think soccer is as big of a sport, so to have so many people come out and support the team is really cool.
On takeaways from the game:
Berg: Tactical-wise, there are things we need to work on like tracking back or just staying in the game and closing out. There's something to take away from every game, so this is just another one.
