Soccer’s season ends in NCAA First Round loss at No. 22 Texas A&M

Friday, November 15

College Station, Texas

6:30 p.m. CT

University of Texas

11-8-1, 6-3-0

#22 Texas A&M

14-4-3, 7-2-1

Texas

Texas A&M

Soccer’s season ends in NCAA First Round loss at No. 22 Texas A&M

11.15.2019 | Soccer

Box Score

The Longhorns wrapped up their 2019 campaign at 11-8-1 overall

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – On Friday night in front of 3,021 fans at Ellis Field, an early goal from redshirt junior forward Cydney Billups didn't hold up for Texas soccer (11-8-1) as No. 22 Texas A&M (14-4-3) rallied back to knock-off the Longhorns in NCAA First Round action, 4-1.

Important Notes

Texas was making its third consecutive and 14th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Prior to this occurrence, the last time the Longhorns made three straight NCAA Fields of 64 was from 2006-08.
Billups scored her third goal of the season just 6:44 into the match, while sophomore midfielder Julia Grosso (eighth) and sophomore forward Cameron Brooks (second) were each credited with assists.
Tonight's match marked just the second time this season (8-2-0) that Texas lost after scoring the opening goal.
UT is now 1-1-0 all-time against Texas A&M in NCAA Tournament matches held in College Station.
Texas A&M out-shot the Longhorns by a total of 27-17 and led 12-8 in shots on goal. Texas registered a 6-4 advantage on corner kicks.

The Details

An early Texas corner led to the first scoring chance for either team just 1:52 into the match. Off the set piece, Texas A&M managed a clearance out through the top of the 18. Junior defender Maddie Dorsett delivered a pass back into the middle that dropped to senior forward Cyera Hintzen. The Garland, Texas, native settled, turned quickly and fired from 16 yards out, but her effort rolled just outside the left post.

With the early run of play, it was the Longhorns that grabbed the early advantage at 6:44. Off a turnover on A&M's side of midfield, Grosso turned and started toward the UT offensive end. She delivered a perfect feed out wide left to Brooks as the sophomore forward took a touch and crossed a ball into the middle. Billups was set up at the top of the six-yard box and beat her marker to drill a header just inside the left for a 1-0 advantage.

The Aggies soon began to settle into the match as forward Jimena Lopez struck the outside of the left woodwork at the 8:29 mark.

With the battle raging back-and-forth, Texas A&M came close to tying things up at 22:46 as midfielder Macie Kolb rattled a shot from the right side off the crossbar and out for a goal kick.

The A&M equalizer came just 48 seconds later as midfielder Taylor Ziemer hit a shot towards frame from 30+ yards out. The blast ricocheted off a Texas defender near the top of the box, and that changed the trajectory enough to deflect it up and over a leaping Madden.

Aggie forward Ally Watt located some space at 33:09, took a dribble into the left side of the 18 and launched a shot, but Madden was perfectly placed to make a diving stop to keep the match even.

UT's keeper came through again at 39:15 as Watt got into space about 14 yards out on the right side. The Aggie forward drove another attempt at goal, but Madden got her right hand on the shot to deflect it up and over the crossbar.

During the 44th-minute, more pressure finally paid off for the Aggies as a Lopez cross from the left wing deflected off a pair of players near the left post. The ball bounced straight out front as Tara Ziemer raced in to drive a ball into the left edge of the twine from 12 yards out to grant A&M its first lead at 2-1.

Out of the locker room, Texas A&M got right back to work at 46:15 as a long pass into the box was headed off the crossbar by Lopez before being cleared away by the Longhorns.

Back at the other end for the Longhorns, junior midfielder Haley Berg tried her luck from 21 yards out, but her 48th-minute shot ventured wide right of frame.

Berg was at it again during the 50th-minute, earning a foul call by splitting two A&M defenders just a step outside the right edge of the 18. Grosso delivered the dangerous free kick into the middle where it deflected off the crowd and over to Hintzen. The UT forward settled the pass and launched a shot from 15 yards that was blocked out front.

Just seconds after A&M's Watt missed a sitter from 10 yards out by chipping her shot up-and-over the bar, midfielder Grace Piper didn't miss. She took possession well outside the box and blasted a 30-yard rocket into the upper 90 to grant the Aggies a 3-1 advantage.

The Texas A&M lead eventually expanded to 4-1 off a UT own goal at 71:43 as a cross from the left wing hit off a battling Texas defender and popped up and over the line.

Down the stretch, Texas' Grosso tried a 19-yard shot at 81:55, but it traveled right to Aggie keeper Kenna Caldwell for a save.

Berg nearly found paydirt for the Longhorns at 85:57, but her quick shot from seven yards out on the right side rattled off the right post before being cleared.

The Burnt Orange & White had one final chance to cut into their deficit, but Billups' 87th-minute shot was struck right to Caldwell for the save.