Texas A&M
Grambling State
Soccer Blanks Grambling State in NCAA First Round
Nov 10, 2006 | Soccer
November 10, 2006
The 8th-ranked Texas A&M soccer team used five goals from five different players to hand Grambling State a shutout loss in the opening round of the 2006 NCAA Women's Championship Tournament on a windy Friday night at the Aggie Soccer Stadium.
A&M got on the board in just the game's sixth minute as Allison Martino placed a low corner kick at the feet of a streaking Ashlee Pistorius who netted her team leading 12th goal of the season and fourth game-winner.
Four minutes later, Martino would factor into the scoring again. Madison Klovstad sent a quick pass off a corner kick into Martino who gave the ball right back to Klovstad who in turn sent a hard shot into the goal's far back post.
"We thought getting off to an early start would be important for us," commented A&M head coach G Guerrieri. "So being up one-nothing and then two-nothing in the first nine minutes, I think it put us at ease."
A&M's third goal of the half came in the 27th minute off a pass from Paige Carmichael from 26 yards out. Carmichael played the ball into Sara Albrecht who fired a shot past Grambling keeper, Cherie Silas from just inside the 18-yard box.
The Aggies took a confident 3-0 lead into the break after controlling possession of the ball for the entirety of the first half. In the first 45 minutes of play, A&M outshot the Lady Tigers 25-0 and took 11 corners to Grambling State's none.
The Aggies continued to control the tempo of the game in the second half, adding two more goals. The first came from Cydne Currie in the 79th minute off a deflected shot by Klovstad. Currie earned her fourth goal of the season as she slid across the goalmouth, to bury the ball into the back of the net.
Senior Annie Burnett's first collegiate goal was the Aggies' fifth goal of the evening. Elisabeth Jones played a beautiful cross from the far left wing into the Grambling penalty area and Burnett drove a hard shot past Silas from the six yard box in the 84th minute.
The Aggies forced Silas to make 14 saves on the evening firing a total of 39 shots, tying a season high 18 corner kicks.
"We wanted to make sure we played with patience and I think our players did a good job of that tonight," said Guerrieri. "It was a good business-like performance by a lot of different people. We had five goals by five different players and I'm always pleased when we can spread it around and it's not dependent upon one person to be our attack."
With the win A&M improved to 15-5-1 on the season while Grambling fell to 9-7-2.
The Aggies' advance to Sunday's second round match against SMU. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m.
Texas A&M Postgame Quotes
HEAD COACH G. GUERRIERI: "I thought that tonight was a situation where we knew we were going to play a team that was on a hot-run. I think Grambling State had won nine straight, but it was their first time in the NCAA tournament which is going to make them a little nervous. We wanted to make sure we played with patience and I think our players did a good job of that tonight. It was a good business-like performance by a lot of different people. We had five goals by five different players and I'm always pleased when we can spread it around and it's not dependent upon one person to be our attack."
SENIOR FORWARD MADISON KLOVSTAD: "I think we were really trying to emphasize possession and patience. It took certain leaders on the field to come out and bring about that patience because when we tried to rush that's when it really wasn't working for us. When we started keeping it and moving the ball around the field that's when we were beneficial and I hope we bring that into Sunday's game."
Grambling State Postgame Quotes
HEAD COACH TAMURA CRAWLEY: "The experience for them being on a national scene was good, it was the good exposure that they needed. They worked hard all season to get to this point. I think they showed up and they played really well. It was a good atmosphere, good crowd, and you're getting to play underneath the lights, which is a big thing in soccer that you don't see a lot these days."
FRESHMAN GOALKEEPER CHERIE' SILAS: "I think it was a good experience for me being a freshman. It was good soccer; I come from an area where I see good soccer so I think it was a good experience for us."
