The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Oklahoma
No. 20 Soccer fights past rival Oklahoma on Friday, 3-2
10.12.2018 | Soccer
Senior forward Alexa Adams scored twice, including the match-winner with just one minute remaining
AUSTIN, Texas – On Friday night in front of a season-high 2,085 fans at Mike A. Myers Stadium, the third career brace (two goals) from senior forward Alexa Adams, including the match-winning score with just one minute remaining in regulation, helped No. 20 Texas soccer (11-2-2, 3-2-1 Big 12 Conference) fight off a tough challenge from rival Oklahoma (6-7-2, 2-3-1 Big 12 Conference), 3-2.
For Adams, the goals were her fourth and fifth of the season, while the match-winner marked the sixth of her impressive career in the Burnt Orange & White.
Senior midfielder Katie Glenn also scored her fifth goal of 2018, while junior forward Cyera Hintzen was credited with her seventh and eighth assists, raising her Big 12-leading point total to 28 over 15 matches. Sophomore midfielder Haley Berg (third), senior midfielder Kayra Dollas (third) and senior defender Chelsea Surpris (second) each dished an assist during the victory.
The Longhorns out-shot the Sooners by a commanding total of 22-8, including an 11-2 advantage in shots on goal, and led 5-4 in corner kicks.
Texas wasted no time settling into the match against OU with Berg opening UT's ledger shot-wise on blasts that were blocked (2:49) and left of frame (4:21).
During the sixth minute, Surpris delivered a terrific cross from the right wing towards the back post. Freshman forward Mackenzie McFarland was stationed there and attempted a quick volley only to have her 10-yard effort go high.
Hintzen and Surpris forced Oklahoma keeper McKinley Crone into action just minutes later as the net minder made two of her eight total saves in the match.
Against the run of play, it was OU that struck first during the 16th minute. Midfielder Marissa McMahand took a free kick from 35 yards out on the left side and delivered it towards the back post. Forward Kaylee Dao somehow got behind everyone into space to head the ball past Curry from seven yards out for a stunning 1-0 lead.
The Longhorns continued to apply pressure after the goal as Berg rattled an effort from the top of the 18-yard box off the top of the left post at 26:03.
Surpris started the play that led to UT's equalizer with a long pass up field to the feet of Berg. The Celina, Texas, product dribbled ahead and rather than shoot, fed a cross into the middle. Standing in the clear was Glenn, and she settled the ball briefly before finding the right edge of the netting past a diving Crone at 26:25 to make it 1-1.
The Horns nearly grabbed the lead just 2:16 later as Dollas out-jumped everyone at the back post to drive a shot on frame that was just saved by a diving Crone.
Down the stretch of the opening half, Oklahoma managed better possession, earning a succession of four corners from 36:59-42:40. The best chance for the Sooners to re-take the lead came off a corner at 37:20. Curry went up in the crowd to try to make a catch only to go down in a collision. The ball bounced around before ending up right at the feet of OU's Erika Yost near the top of the six-yard box. She tried a quick shot only to have a Texas defender somehow block the try up and over the bar.
Yost nearly found pay dirt again at 40:45 as a ball into the left side of the box was shot and deflected off two UT defenders before trickling just wide of the left post.
Out of the halftime break, Texas again took control offensively, with the best chance to grab the lead coming at 57:28 as Berg fired from 24 yards out only to have Crone tip the effort over the crossbar.
Off a goal kick by Curry during the 63rd minute, Dollas managed to head a ball up field to Hintzen who headed a pass directly into the path of Adams. The Lancaster, Calif., speedster took off up the right wing and blasted a 17-yard drive that tickled the twine for a 2-1 advantage.
Needing to locate an equalizer, Oklahoma missed a golden opportunity in the 78th minute as Emily Parker had the ball drop right to her feet in front of an open net only to chip a shot up and over the cross bar.
Despite the missed chance, the Sooners eventually found the tying score at 83:19. A free kick was delivered from near midfield into the middle of the 18. A UT defender headed the ball back out front, but Paige Welch unleashed a header of her own that somehow found the space between a leaping Curry's fingers and the crossbar to make it 2-2.
With time running short in regulation, it was Texas that created the magic to finish things off. A feed ahead found Hintzen in space up the middle, and the Garland, Texas, native launched a 16-yard shot that was deflected to the left by Crone. The ball ended up ricocheting right into the path of an on-rushing Adams at the top of the six as she blasted home the match-winner at 89:00.
