The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
11-3-6, 6-0-3
West Virginia - Semifinal
10-5-5, 3-3-3
No. 20 Soccer advances past West Virginia on penalties, 0-0 (2OT), 4-3 PK’s
11.04.2021 | Soccer
Senior defender Cameron Brooks hit the winning penalty as the Longhorns prevailed in the shootout
ROUND ROCK, Texas – It's on to the Big 12 Championship Final for the first time since 2007 for No. 20 Texas soccer (11-3-6) as the Longhorns tied West Virginia (10-5-5) in a Thursday night semifinal at the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex, 0-0 (2OT), before eventually prevailing in a penalty kick shootout, 4-3.
Second-seeded Texas now moves on to battle No. 1-seed TCU on Sun., Nov. 7, at 2:30 p.m. CT live on ESPNU.
Texas Team Notes
- Texas is heading to the Big 12 Championship Final for the fifth time in program history (2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2021). UT is 1-2-1 in its four previous match-ups with two titles (2006, 2007).
- Texas set a new program record by extending its unbeaten streak to 14 straight matches dating back to Sept. 12. That broke the previous mark of 13 matches held by the 2006 & 2017 Longhorns.
- Senior defender Cameron Brooks made the decisive penalty to win the shootout, while senior midfielder Emma Regan, senior midfielder Julia Grosso and freshman forward Trinity Byars were all successful on their respective spot kicks.
- With the shootout tied at 3-3 after the fourth round, Texas fifth-year senior goalkeeper Savannah Madden made the key save on West Virginia's Dilary Heredia-Beltran to set-up Brooks' winning PK.
- Texas remained unbeaten against Big 12 opposition this season at a combined 7-0-4 having gone 6-0-3 in the regular season and 1-0-1 in the Big 12 Championship.
- West Virginia out-shot Texas by a total of 15-14, including 8-6 in shots on goal, and led 6-2 in corners.
- Grosso returned to the Texas line-up for the first time since leaving for the "Canada Celebration Tour" prior to the Longhorns' match against West Virginia back on Oct. 21.
The Details
Texas wasted no time getting on the board with the first shot of the match as Regan drove a 25+ yard effort on frame just 1:58 into the contest.
West Virginia created its first chance off a corner during the ninth minute as Dilary Heredia-Beltran's shot from the left wing was corralled by Madden at the left post.
Juliana Lynch tried her luck from the top of the box for the Mountaineers at 16:44 only to have her shot pop straight up in the air before dropping into Madden's arms near the right post.
Down the stretch in the opening half, it was Texas on the front foot as freshman midfielder Lexi Missimo had a shot blocked at 27:30 before Byars drove a shot on frame at 38:18.
During the 43rd minute, Grosso nearly put the Burnt Orange & White on the board only to have her shot from the top of the box travel about a yard over the cross bar.
With time running short in the opening stanza, a Texas cross from the right wing dropped right in front of a charging Brooks. Unfortunately, her running header traveled right to WVU keeper Kayza Massey for a save.
Out of the halftime break, Texas came close to a breakthrough just 2:30 in as a promising Mackenzie McFarland cross from the left wing proved just a foot too tall for a leaping Missimo to get off a point-blank shot.
The woodwork was unkind to the Longhorns at the 57:18 mark as Grosso rattled an 18-yard shot off the crossbar and out for a corner.
UT's McFarland forced another Massey stop at 58:48 but her seven-yard volley off a Missimo cross again traveled straight to the Mountaineer keeper.
From there, West Virginia cranked up its pressure with Isabella Sidney hammering a shot from the right wing just outside the left post at 62:38.
After Julianne Vallerand drove a ball just over the top at 66:47, Heredia-Beltran came desperately close to finding the go-ahead goal for WVU at 68:37. From the top left of the 18, the forward bent a dangerous effort towards the back post. Madden dove fully extended out to her left to just get her fingertips on the ball and push it away of danger.
With end-to-end action, Byars caused some havoc during the 82nd minute as she received a through ball in space up the middle. Heading into the top of the 18, WVU defenders rallied to cut off the rookie forward's shooting lanes as she moved out to her right. Byars' eventual try from 15+ yards was covered in goal by Massey.
Brooks created one final chance in regulation for the Longhorns at 83:28 but her shot from the left wing hit off the left side netting.
Each team managed a single shot during the first overtime period as Heredia-Beltran forced a Madden stop at the left post at 92:01, while Missimo had a lengthy try blocked at 95:42.
During the second extra session, Brooks hit another lengthy try from the left wing that Massey covered near the left upright at 103:51.
Freshman forward Holly Ward also came close for the Horns at 106:18, but her blast from the right side of the box bent just outside the right upper 90.
Over the last 10 seconds of OT, West Virginia's Vallerand and Lisa Schoppl each forced routine Madden saves as the teams moved on to penalties.
Both squads made their opening attempts in the shootout as Jordan Brewster scored for WVU, while Regan answered for Texas with a successful drive into the upper left corner.
The Mountaineers took a 2-1 lead through two rounds as the Longhorns had an attempt rattle off a post.
During the third round, West Virginia's Juliana Lynch blasted her spot kick off the cross bar. Grosso followed by placing her attempt into the upper right corner to dead lock the count at 2-2.
After both teams proved successful on their fourth kicks (Byars scored for the Longhorns), Madden came through with her biggest save of the match by denying Heredia-Beltran in round five.
Brooks then stepped to the spot and tucked the winner in the left side of the twine to set off Burnt Orange & White jubilation.
