Texas A&M
Oklahoma
Soccer Posts Shutout of Oklahoma, 5-0
Oct 05, 2008 | Soccer
Oct. 5, 2008
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M freshman Bri Young scored two goals as the No. 7 Texas A&M soccer team cruised to a 5-0 victory over Oklahoma on Sunday at the Aggie Soccer Stadium.
A defender from Castle Pines North, Colo., Young netted the second goal of the contest on a header off of a corner kick and rifled a shot top shelf on a free kick for the fifth goal of the afternoon.
The Aggies shutout three of their last four opponents and improve to 10-1-1 overall and 3-0-1 in the Big 12. The Sooners dropped their ninth straight match and fall to 1-11-0 and 0-3-0 in conference play.
"In the Big 12 a lot of times winning on Sunday is the difference maker," said head coach G Guerrieri. "I thought we got stronger as the game went on."
Three of A&M's first four shots resulted in goals and four different Aggies put the ball in the back of the net. In addition, four of the five A&M goals were on set pieces.
"We talked early in the week as we were preparing for this weekend's matches that a lot of times, big games are decided on set pieces," said Guerrieri. "If you have an opportunity to put a ball in scoring position, you have to use that opportunity to finish it off. Today's goals are a good indicator that we have some athletes who really went out and did that."
A&M capitalized on two set pieces in the first half. In the 15th minute, OU was called for a foul and freshman Becca Herrera took the free kick in front of the Aggie bench on the right flank. The Aurora, Colo., native sent a beautiful ball in to the back post where senior Laura Grace Robinson headed it in to get A&M on the scoreboard, 1-0.
The Aggies then took advantage of their first corner kick in the 25th minute. Herrera's bending ball was placed just outside the six-yard box as Young headed it into the back of the net to increase A&M's lead to 2-0.
A&M controlled possession for the majority of the first half and in the 31st minute Robinson had the ball on the right side and sent a cross in to the six-yard box. Freshman Jennifer Kmezich touched the ball on across the goal to sophomore Rachel Shipley who struck a one-timer inside the back post to give the Aggies a commanding three-goal advantage heading into halftime.
"To be up 3-0 at the half was good because we were able to go into the locker room and talk about the things we needed to clean up in the second half," Guerrieri said.
In the second period A&M was even more aggressive on its attack and outshot the Sooners 15-5, with seven shots on frame.
Sophomore Whitney Hooper was fouled hard in the box in the 76th minute and junior Amber Gnatzig found the back of the net on a penalty kick to extend the Aggies lead, 4-0. Young scored her second goal and fourth of the season in the 84th minute off of a blast over the OU wall on a free kick from 20 yards out.
Sophomore Sarah Pierson earned a combined shutout in goal. Dyer recorded four saves.
The Aggies fired off 21 shots compared to nine for the Sooners. Eleven shots were on frame. A&M also held a 4-1 advantage on corner kicks.
The Aggies return to action on Friday, Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m. as they host Nebraska in the third match of a four-game home stand. Seniors Laura Grace Robinson and Micah Stephens will be honored in their last Friday night home game.
