Texas A&M
Colorado
Soccer Drops 3-2 Decision in Semifinal
Nov 03, 2006 | Soccer
November 03, 2006
The 7th-ranked Texas A&M soccer team (14-5-1) dropped a hard fought 3-2 double overtime decision to the 23rd-ranked Colorado Buffaloes (12-5-3) on Friday night at the Blossom Soccer Stadium.
The Aggies got on the board just seven minutes into the match when Melissa Garey connected with All-Big 12 forward Ashlee Pistorius just outside the six yard box for A&M?™s first goal. Garey slotted a pass into Pistorius who gathered the ball, spun around to face an open Colorado goal and sent a soft shot into the right side of the goal, putting the Aggies up 1-0.
Pistorius would score again in the game?™s 11th minute. The Aggies were awarded a free kick off a CU foul in the midfield. Paige Carmichael placed the free kick into a crowd of players where freshman defender Nicole Ketchum played the header to Pistorius?™ feet. Pistorius then beat Buffaloes?™ keeper Kirstin Radlinski tucking away her 11th goal of the season, A&M?™s second of the night.
A&M went into halftime with a 2-0 advantage.
In the game?™s 48th minute Colorado was awarded a controversial free kick about 40 yards from the Aggie goal. The Aggie defense failed to properly clear the served ball from their penalty area, leaving the ball bouncing about seven yards from goal. CU?™s Brittany Dornseif pounced on the loose ball, sending a shot past Aggie keeper Kristin Arnold and bringing Colorado within one.
Freshman Nikki Marshall would score the equalizer with just under four minutes left in the game off a rebounded shot from Laura Munnelly. The scored remained deadlocked for the duration of the game sending it into overtime.
Both teams battled hard in the first overtime period sending the match into a second overtime.
With three minutes left in the game. Colorado played a long pass over A&M defender Emily Peterson and into the path of Alex Cousins, who passed the ball to Marshall streaking in on the far left side of the Aggie penalty area, where she collected the ball, switched it to her right foot and sent a hard shot back across the goalmouth for the game-winner.
This was the first loss by an A&M team at the Big 12 Tournament in three years, and only the Aggies?™ second loss in their last 20 Big 12 matches. A&M was also undefeated in 15 matches against Colorado coming into this evening?™s game.
?This is a tough loss,? commented A&M coach G Guerrieri. "But, Colorado deserves all the credit for their win. They played great and never gave up. We seemed to let down after taking the 2-0 lead and they fought to control the pace of the game.?
?We came into this weekend with a No.6 ranking in the NCAA?™s RPI,? Guerrieri continued. ?So hopefully an overtime loss to a quality side like the Buffaloes won?™t hurt us too much in the eyes of the NCAA selection committee.?
The Aggies will return to College Station to await the announcing of the 64-team Women's College Cup bracket. The bracket will be announced on ESPNEWS on Monday between 2-3 p.m.
