Ward makes program history as No. 21 Soccer advances in NCAA Tournament

Friday, November 15

Austin, Texas

6 PM

University of Texas

17-3-2, 6-3-1

Boston

6-8-7, 5-0-4

Boston U.

Texas

Ward makes program history as No. 21 Soccer advances in NCAA Tournament

11.15.2024 | Soccer

Box Score

Holly Ward becomes sixth student-athlete in program history to score four goals in a match

By: Chris Allen Brown

AUSTIN, Texas – In what has already become a historic season for The University of Texas women's soccer program, Holly Ward added another chapter by becoming the first student-athlete in program history to score four goals in a NCAA Tournament match as the fourth-seeded Longhorns knocked off Boston University, 4-1, on Friday night.

Entering Friday evening's contest against the Terriers, there had been only two multi-goal performances by a Longhorn women's soccer student-athlete in a NCAA Tournament match, with the most recent occurring on Nov. 10, 2017 when Cyera Hintzen had a brace against North Texas. Not only did Ward surpass that mark, but the Vancouver native also had a hat trick within a 15-minute span during the second half to balloon Texas' lead from 2-1 to 4-1.

All this came after Ward tied the match, 1-1, during the 28th minute, when she footed in a loose ball after Boston goalkeeper Bridget Carr knocked down a corner kick off the foot of Lexi Missimo.

Not only did Ward turn in Texas' second haul this season – Trinity Byars at SMU on Aug. 22 - and sixth in program history, but she also set the program's record for most goals (4) and point (8) in a NCAA Tournament match, but also became the leader in career goals (4) and tied for career points (8) in the program's NCAA Tournament history.

FROM HEAD COACH ANGELA KELLY

"There were numerous tremendous efforts. I thought Ashlyn Miller did a great job coming into the match and I could go down the list … Mia Justus, obviously the MVP of last week's SEC Tournament … but I have to, have to acknowledge Holly Ward. What a tremendous match. That's twice this season that we've had a player with a four-goal match, which is incredibly rare in our sport. It's just rare, especially against a team as well organized as Boston was tonight. I'm really proud of her. I'm sure she's saying she couldn't have done it without her teammates. I'm just excited to be advancing and moving on."

FROM SENIOR FORWARD HOLLY WARD

"When we came back out from halftime, we all said, 'OK, we have to get going, this is not our best soccer,' and then I just feel like everyone was just putting everything in the right spaces. The people who were playing the passes to me were slipping it in at the exact spots. Obviously, one of my skills is my speed, so when my teammates see me in a 1 v. 1, they know exactly where to put a pass."

MATCH NOTES

Friday night's offensive output resulted in just the second time Texas has scored four-or-more goals in a single NCAA Tournament match.
- On Nov. 10, 2006, the Longhorns scored four goals against Long Island in a first-round match played at Storrs, Conn.
Lexi Missimo was credited with her 63rd career assist on Holly Ward's match-tying goal during the 28th minute of the first half.
- Missimo will enter Texas' next match one assist shy of tying UConn's Jennifer Tietjen (1995-98) for 10th on the NCAA's career assist list.
By earning the win on Friday night, Mia Justus has now tied her program record for most wins in a single season at 17.
- Justus set the program record throughout the 2023 campaign, her first season on the Forty Acres after transferring from Florida State.
Texas has now won its opening round match of the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season, marking just the second time in program history the Longhorns has achieved the feat after doing so from 2006 to 2008.
As a result of earning an assist on Holly Ward's second goal of the match, Jilly Shimkin was credited with her 24th career assist, which breaks a tie with Amy Burlingham (2003-06) and moves the New York native into sole possession of fifth place on the program's career assist list.
Texas now has its seventh NCAA Tournament win in matches played in Austin, Texas, five more than the next closest city: College Station, Texas.
Friday night's match was also the 100th career collegiate women's soccer matches for Madison Haugen and Lauren Lapomarda.

UP NEXT

Texas (17-3-2) will now travel to Durham North Carolina for a second-round matchup against either fifth-seeded Michigan State (12-2-5) or Western Michigan (13-1-6).
- The Broncos and the Spartans are set to play in East Lansing, Mich., at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16.
  - The Longhorns will play the winner in North Carolina as a result of No. 1 seed Duke (15-2-1) beating Howard (11-5-5), 8-0, on Friday night.

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