Texas A&M
Texas Tech
No. 10 Soccer Blanks Texas Tech
Oct 10, 2010 | Soccer
Oct. 10, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The 10th-ranked Texas A&M soccer team scored early and often led by a pair of second-half goals from senior Rachel Shipley en route to a comfortable 4-0 victory over Texas Tech on Sunday afternoon at the Aggie Soccer Stadium.
Junior Bri Young scored A&M's first goal at 16:02 and senior Whitney Hooper followed with her fourth goal of the year in the 27th minute. Shipley's fifth and sixth goals came in the 72nd and 79th minutes.
Senior goalkeeper Kelly Dyer earned her fourth clean sheet of the season and has not allowed a goal in 270 minutes after making four saves in the match.
With their fourth consecutive win and third straight shutout, the Aggies increase their record to 11-3 overall and 4-1 in the Big 12, good for second place in the conference standings. A&M improves to 15-1-1 all-time versus the Red Raiders (9-4-1, 2-3-1 Big 12) and is now unbeaten in the last 11 meetings between the two teams.
"This was a really good weekend for us because of the two wins and because our performances are getting better and better and better over the last five games," said head coach G Guerrieri. "The class of this team is really showing."
A&M came out firing on all cylinders against Tech, earning its first two shots and first corner kick in the opening 30 seconds of the match.
Young gave the Aggies an early 1-0 advantage with her fifth goal just over 16 minutes into the match. The Red Raiders were called for their first foul and on the subsequent free kick, Young struck a shot from 40 yards that slotted into the goal just under the crossbar.
"Bri steps up big for us on the defensive side and in our attack," commented Guerrieri. "After the first goal you could feel all of our players breathe easy. Our second goal would be the picture definition of what the payoff could be from hard work."
The effort and determination of senior Merritt Mathias led to the Aggies' second score at 26:58. In A&M's attacking third, Mathias fought for possession from Tech defenders, won the ball and from the touchline centered a pass towards the far post where Hooper one-timed a shot into the right-side netting.
With a two-goal lead at the half A&M outshot Tech 15-4 and maintained its constant pressure in the second period.
A pair of dangerous crosses by freshman Rachel Lenz and redshirt sophomore Beth West were cleared by the Red Raider defense in the 66th minute, but on a set piece five minutes later, Young dished out her seventh assist of the season. Young's rocket shot on a free kick from 25 yards was graced into the crossbar by Tech goalkeeper Erin Wikelius, but Shipley picked up the rebound and found the back of the net to make the score 3-0.
The Aggies scored their final goal on a counter after a Red Raider corner kick in the 78th minute. Great ball control and a string of passes down the field ended with senior Amber Gnatzig finding senior Alyssa Mautz at the right corner of the penalty box. Mautz then dished off a pass to Shipley whose one-timer from the top of the box beat the Tech keeper into the left-side netting.
For the second straight game, A&M dominated possession throughout the match and outshot the Red Raiders, 24-11, including 11-4 in shots on goal. The Aggies also held a 3-2 edge in corners.
Young fired off a game-high six shots with five on frame and Shipley added five shots.
The Aggies are back on the road next weekend with games at Iowa State on Friday and Missouri on Sunday. The match at Mizzou is televised nationally on ESPNU.
