Texas A&M
Tulsa
Soccer Downs Tulsa 3-0
Sep 21, 2007 | Soccer
September 21, 2007
All-American forward Ashlee Pistorius had a foot in all three goals as the 4th-ranked Texas A&M soccer team (5-1-1) blanked the Tulsa Golden Hurricane 3-0 in front of 2, 727 fans on Friday night at the Aggie Soccer Stadium.
?It was a good win for us,? A&M head coach G Guerrieri said. ?To keep a team to no real threatening shots and to make it to where we had possession probably 90 percent of the game, was big. Tulsa played a great game today because they kept us so far away. They kept 11 players behind the ball and most of them within the last 25 to 30 yards of goal. It?™s very difficult to break down and it doesn?™t make it very dangerous for them to get out and score but it makes it really tough for us to get in. We had to score three quality goals to make it happen; a ball from the flank, a corner kick and a free kick. That?™s just us being hungry enough on the end of plays to put the ball in the back of the net.?
The Aggies proved that the best defense is a good attack as A&M scored three goals in the first half while not allowing Tulsa (1-5-1) to fire even a single shot.
Pistorius netted the game-winner for the Aggies in just the 10th minute as freshman Rachel Shipley dribbled the ball towards the far left corner and spinning around chipped a shot into Pistorius who headed home her fifth goal of the season, putting A&M up 1-0.
In the 36th minute the Aggies earned back-to-back corner kicks. On the second attempt, Laura Grace Robinson collected a deflected ball off the crossbar and quickly dished it off to Pistorius who put away her 62nd career goal.
Just over two minutes ticked off the clock before Pistorius would factor into A&M?™s scoring attack again. A&M earned a free kick just outside the arc of the penalty area. Pistorius stepped up and rocketed a shot off the chest of Golden Hurricane keeper Kendall Harclerode that fell at the feet of a crashing Nicole Ketchum for the Aggies third and final goal of the match.
?I was excited to see Ashlee making the most of her scoring opportunities,? Guerrieri continued. ?She is one of the best all-around players in the country and she showed that tonight as she was able to not only score but draw her teammates into the scoring attack by assisting Nicole?™s goal.?
In the second period of play, Tulsa was able to register three shots, but none were on frame as Kristin Arnold logged her third clean sheet of 2007.
The Aggies return to action at the Aggie Soccer Stadium on Sunday to take on another Conference USA opponent in the Rice Owls. Game time is slated for 6 p.m.
?It was nice to be back and to see a very good crowd come out and support us,? Guerrieri ended. ?I hope to see the same crowd come out on Sunday and support us against the Owls.?
