Aggies Blank Northwestern State 6-0 in Final Tune-up for Season Opener

Thursday, August 10

College Station

7 p.m.

Texas A&M

Northwestern State

Aug 10, 2017 | Soccer

Exhibition Box Score - A&M 6, NSU 0 Photo Gallery

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M Aggies defeated the Northwestern State Lady Demons, 6-0, in their second and final exhibition contest Thursday evening at Ellis Field.

The match served as the last scrimmage before next Friday's season opener in San Diego against Pepperdine.

The Aggies overwhelmed the Lady Demons on both fronts. The Maroon and White attack peppered 22 shots on goal and defensively, Texas A&M didn't allow a Northwestern State shot until the 89^th minute.

In two exhibition matches, Texas A&M outscored opponents 11-0.

Texas A&M broke the scoring seal in the sixth minute when Grace Piper put a header in from six yards out on Cienna Arrieta's cross from the right flank.

The Aggies' appeared to be heading into the intermission with a slim 1-0 edge, despite outshooting Northwestern State 20-0 in the first 44 minutes, but McKayla Paulson gave the Maroon and White some breathing room with a late tally. She scored with a header off Arrieta's corner kick with 24 second left in the first half.

Texas A&M didn't take their foot off the pedal in the second half with Ally Watt scoring in the 64^th minute, Kate Hajdu finding the net in the 68^th and 72^nd minutes and Mikaela Harvey capping off the scoring in the 87^th minute.

Arrieta and Stephanie Malherbe each had two assists in the contest and Briana Alston and Brittany Crabtree chipped in with one apiece.

Cosette Morche and Olivia Ausmus, who each played a half in goal, went untested on the evening.

The Aggies owned wide margins in shots (40-1), shots-on-goal (22-0) and corner kicks (14-0).

Texas A&M was unlucky on three occasions when they hit the woodwork, including Rheagen Smith's penalty kick attempt in the 43^rd minute.

Northwestern State's goalkeepers made 16 saves on the evening, including Alex Latham with 9 in the first half and Kayla Bomben with seven in the second.

TEXAS A&M QUOTES

Head Coach G Guerrieri
On game overall…
"It's a good effort for us to be able to put as many chances on frame. We did a better job of finishing in the second half. Really, the NSU goalkeepers made some phenomenal saves. Otherwise, we would have had scored quite a few more. I thought our midfield was really, really strong. We really kept the ball moving. They set up the chances for us to get as many shots as we did.

On moving forward…
"We will look at this match and talk about the things that we've still got to polish up. Our next match will be against the WCC Champions in Pepperdine. To go out to California against a very talented, well-coached team will be quite a challenge for us. We are really looking forward to it, and we feel good about coming out of these two exhibition games and having some good momentum."

Senior midfielder Mikaela Harvey
On the game...
"I thought everyone came out with a good attitude and was ready to go. I think we did a great job today."

Junior midfielder Kate Hajdu
On the win tonight…
"I think it was a good game for us to showcase all we've worked for this entire summer. We were really able to connect as a team, and it started at the beginning of the summer. Each girl and our entire team as a whole has really worked together. We've really been focusing on not only the physical stuff but also team chemistry, and it really showed tonight with getting 39 shots on goal and 22 on frame. That's good looking forward to the games coming up next week."