Texas Tech slips past Texas Soccer 1-0

by Sarah Fetters
October 12, 2012

A goal from Texas Tech's Dawn Ward in the 58th minute lifted the Red Raiders to a 1-0 victory over Texas on Friday evening inside Mike A. Myers Stadium and Soccer Field. Ward took a deflected shot from freshman Janine Beckie and pushed a ball past Texas freshman goalkeeper Abby Smith, who finished the contest with a career-high eight saves.

The loss was Texas' (6-7-1, 3-1-0 Big 12) first since a 1-0 setback at Utah on Sept. 8 and snapped a five-game unbeaten streak. The goal by Ward was also the first allowed by the Longhorns in 353:24, since Denver's Kristen Hamilton scored at 84:13 to tie the match at 3-3 on Sept. 16

During the opening half, the Longhorns registered the first shot of the game at 3:50, when sophomore Allison Smith fired high. Texas Tech's Alli Murphy responded with an attempt at 7:03, but also missed high. UT recorded the first shot on goal at 7:48 when senior Kristin Cummins forced Red Raider goalkeeper Victoria Esson to make the save. Senior Hannah Higgins forced Esson into another save at 11:07.

In the 14th minute, Texas Tech (11-4-0, 3-2-0 Big 12) took its first shot on goal as Briana Rohmer fired and Abby Smith made the save.

Neither team mounted another scoring threat until the 24th minute, when Allison Smith missed wide right off a pass from Higgins. The Red Raiders had their best opportunity of the opening half at 27:50, when Sarah Ellison took a pass and fired on Abby Smith, but Smith dove and made the stop and the loose ball was cleared away from the net. Morgan Johnson weaved her way through the Texas defense and fired at 32:45, but Smith came up with another key save to keep the match scoreless.

The Longhorns' Cummins took another shot on goal at 34:48 with a header, but Esson stopped the attempt before a flurry of Texas Tech shots. Ellison and Erin Inman each took an attempt in the 36th and 37th minutes before Cummins missed wide left at 36:47. The Red Raiders took three more shots in the half with Smith making one save. Higgins had the last shot for Texas in the opening 45 minutes at 39:50 and Esson recorded the save.

At the beginning of the second half, both teams were held without a shot until the 58th minute, when a pair of shots by the Red Raiders resulted in the game's lone goal. Hannah Devine fired first and Abby Smith made the save before Ward scored to put Texas Tech in the lead.

The Longhorns tallied shots by Allison Smith at 61:31 and Cummins at 67:55, but the first was blocked and the second missed wide right.

UT had a chance to even the match in the 72nd minute when Higgins was taken down just outside the 18-yard box and the Longhorns' were awarded a free kick. Sophomore Sharis Lachappelle took a direct attempt on goal, but missed high.

Ellison nearly put Texas Tech up 2-0 in the 74th minute, but her attempt rolled just inches wide of the net.

Cummins took her fifth shot of the contest at 74:04, but Esson again tallied the save. Cummins nearly knotted the match at 1-1 in the 79th minute as her season-high sixth shot of the match hit the crossbar following a corner kick by Higgins.

The Longhorns registered two more shots -- a header by sophomore Brooke Gilbert that went wide left at 83:10 and a shot by Higgins that was blocked at 85:11.

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