No. 16 Soccer falls in Big 12 semifinals to West Virginia, 1-0

Thursday, November 3

Round Rock, Texas

4:30 p.m. CT

University of Texas

14-2-4, 7-0-2

West Virginia - Semifinal

9-4-7, 4-1-4

West Virginia

Texas

No. 16 Soccer falls in Big 12 semifinals to West Virginia, 1-0

11.03.2022 | Soccer

Box Score

Texas’ unbeaten streak ended at a school-record 17 consecutive matches dating back to Aug. 28

ROUND ROCK, Texas – On a blustery Thursday evening in Sprouts Farmers Market Big 12 Championship Semifinal action at the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex, West Virginia (9-4-7) made a 42nd minute goal stand up in upsetting No. 16 Texas (14-2-4), 1-0.

Next up, the Longhorns will learn their NCAA postseason road during the annual NCAA Soccer Selection Show on Mon., Nov. 7, at 3 p.m. CT live on NCAA.com.

Texas Match Notes

The loss ended Texas' school-record 17-match unbeaten streak that dated back to Aug. 28.
The Longhorns out-shot the Mountaineers in the match by a total of 12-7, including 5-3 in shots on frame. UT also held a 5-4 advantage in corner kicks.
Texas was shutout for just the second time in the 2022 campaign and for the first time since suffering a 2-0 loss to No. 1 North Carolina back on Aug. 25.
Texas dropped to 15-20-9 overall in 25 all-time appearances at the Big 12 Championship.
Texas fell to 3-10-3 all-time against West Virginia, including 0-2-2 at neutral sites.
Sophomore midfielder Lexi Missimo and sophomore forward Holly Ward led the Longhorns with three shots each (two on frame).

The Details

It was Texas that created the match's first scoring opportunity as sophomore midfielder Ashlyn Miller drove a shot from the right wing outside the left post at 4:51.

The Longhorns continued to threaten off a corner during the 10th minute as Missimo's feed into the middle was headed wide left by sophomore defender EmJ Cox.

West Virginia managed its first shot off a Texas turnover at 10:30 as Dilary Heredia-Beltran launched a 22-yard effort that was saved outside the right post on a dive by UT graduate goalkeeper Savannah Madden.

During the 12th minute, Texas nearly created a 1-v-1 opportunity off the counter as Ward almost located sophomore forward Trinity Byars on a through ball entering the top of the box. Unfortunately for the Burnt Orange & White, a last-ditch lunge by a West Virginia defender deflected away the building chance.

Ward had a solid opportunity for a break through at 16:12, but her 12-yard attempt from the left side traveled straight into WVU keeper Kayza Massey's arms for a save.

It was Madden making her own key stop for the Longhorns at 31:44. Off a cross from the right wing towards the back post, West Virginia's Lauren Segalla leapt high to head a seven-yard shot on frame, but Madden was positioned perfectly to make the stop.

After the Mountaineers AJ Rodriguez missed high of the right corner from 22 yards out at 37:22, the Longhorns created a terrific chance at the other end. On a long pass up field into the box, Byars just managed to beat her marker to the ball and appeared to be battling clear to move in 1-v-1 on Massey. The pair collided inside the area and went down, but no penalty call was made as play continued.

Just seconds after the no call, West Virginia managed to race down and grab the lead. Segalla drove up the left wing and cut middle before striking a 15-yard shot into the lower right corner to make it 1-0.

With 53 ticks left on the first half clock, Ward blasted away again only to have her shot venture directly to Massey for another save.

Out of the locker room, Byars had another solid chance at 53:09 as the Richardson, Texas, native received a long ball in the box. Fighting with her marker, she eventually got off a 12-yard shot but was knocked off balance as the effort went high and wide right.

During the 56th minute, fifth-year Texas senior Emma Regan nearly created the equalizer. The Burnaby, British Columbia, product blasted a 25-yard shot that was tipped up-and-over the cross bar by Massey.

Off the ensuing corner, Missimo struck a 17-yard attempt from the top left corner of the box, but it also traveled straight into the WVU keeper arms.

With the Longhorns pressing hard for a goal, senior forward Sydney Nobles fired wide right from 17 yards at 63:36 and fifth-year senior defender Carlee Allen went wide left at 68:37.

A West Virginia foul awarded Texas a free kick about 35 yards out during the 75th minute. Missimo stepped up and hammered a shot, but with a strong wind at her back, the ball traveled well over the woodwork.

At 81:08, the Longhorns earned one of its five corner kicks through solid work from sophomore midfielder Jilly Shimkin. Missimo delivered the ball into the middle, but Massey went up strong in the crowd to corral it.

With time running short in the 89th minute, Shimkin crossed a dangerous ball from the right wing in towards the near post. Byars was racing into the play, but the pass proved just a foot too far in front of the Big 12's leading goal scorer for her to be able to get off a shot.

With just 49 seconds left, Missimo had one final chance from 35 yards out, but her shot was caught by Massey as West Virginia finished off the one-goal win.