Texas A&M
Colorado
No. 6 Aggies Advance to Semifinal in 5-4 Penalty Kick Shootout
Nov 03, 2010 | Soccer
Nov. 3, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -
The No. 6 Texas A&M soccer team will continue on to the semifinal round of the Big 12 Championship, advancing on 5-4 penalty kick shootout after a 0-0 tie with Colorado Wednesday at Blossom Soccer Stadium in San Antonio.
The Aggies (15-3-2) entered a best-of-five penalty kick shootout after a 110-minute scoreless match against the Buffaloes (8-9-3). In goal for A&M during the shootout, senior Kelly Dyer made the lone save for the win.
"We always enter a shootout with the utmost confidence," said head coach G Guerrieri. "Kelly Dyer is one of the best penalty kick-taking keepers that you'll ever come across. Last year she helped us beat Louisiana State at the NCAA Regional final in a penalty kick shootout. The year before, she stepped in for us in the Big 12 Championship against Iowa State and saved a penalty kick. She reads penalty kicks well and she stepped in and was a hero."
Colorado's Kate Russell started the shootout and netted the ball for the first goal. A&M sophomore Mary Grace Schmidt followed, passing CU goalkeeper Annie Brunner with the first score of the night for the Aggies.
Colorado sophomore Amy Barczuk and freshmen Hayley Hughes and Anne Stuller scored on their penalty kicks, while A&M senior Rachel Shipley, sophomore Catalina Clavijo and freshman Rachel Lenz each sunk shots to tie the shootout 4-4.
Dyer dove to the right just in time to catch senior Taryn Vitacca's shot as it split the posts for the first save of the shootout. Junior Merritt Mathias stepped up for the final penalty kick, sending the ball sailing past Brunner and into the net for a 5-4 shootout victory for the Aggies.
"I don't know what it was like from [Vitacca's] standpoint, but I just pick a side and go," said Dyer. "I stretched and saved it, and [the ball] was still kind of behind my hand so I just grabbed it."
The match started with an aggressive first period by A&M, keeping possession of the ball for a majority of the 45-minute half and outshooting the Buffaloes 10-4 with three shots on frame.
In the 11th minute junior Bri Young collected the ball on the left side of the pitch and sent a cross in to Shipley at the center of the attacking half. Shipley powered a shot from 35 yards that flew into the arms of Brunner. Five minutes later Mathias dribbled into the right side of the box and passed off to sophomore Nora Skelton at the left edge of the goal, slamming a laser into the near post.
Schmidt lined up for a shot near midfield, sending the ball flying toward the top of the goal where Brunner was forced to tip it over for a save. Sophomore Raven Tatum caused a third save when she powered a kick from the top of the arch high into the frame with 17:30 remaining in the half.
Tatum continued her offensive quest three minutes into the second period, lining up with the goal at 30 yards and sending a high shot just over the crossbar.
In the 55th minute senior Alyssa Mautz stole the ball on a pass and chipped it to senior Whitney Hooper who charged into the box and slammed a shot that went just high of the goal.
Senior Kristin Arnold made a diving save the next minute on a shot by Barczuk. Arnold flew to her left and swatted the ball out of the goal. Arnold played in all 110 minutes of the match, picking up three saves in the tie.
Mautz again got the ball in the 59th minute on a pass from Skelton and footed a shot that ricocheted off the bottom of the right post from 10 yards.
The Aggies outshot Colorado 16-14 in the match, recording three shots on frame. Mautz led the offense with four shots, one on target.
No. 6 A&M will face Oklahoma in the semifinal round of the Big 12 Championship Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Blossom Soccer Stadium in San Antonio.
