COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M tallied a 1-0 win over defending Southland Conference champion Lamar and a 5-0 victory over Conference USA champion Rice in a pair of 60-minute matches Saturday evening at Ellis Field to open the spring exhibition slate.
Ally Watt accounted for three of the Aggies' six goals on the evening.
In the first game, the Aggies outshot the Cardinals, who the Maroon & White toppled in last year's NCAA Championship first round match, by a margin of 16-0. Early in the match, Watt scored on the cleanup after a cross by Brittany Crabtree was deflected by the keeper. Texas A&M continued to send shots goalward, but were unable to connect on insurance goals.
The second match had a much different flow as the Aggies broke the scoring seal in the 26th minute and the flood gates opened after that.
The lid-lifter against Rice was a Watt header just outside the six-yard box on assists from Macie Kolb and Emily Bates. Less than a minute later, Tera Ziemer found Watt racing down the middle of the pitch heading into the penalty box. She found Brittany Crabtree unmarked headed to the right post and Crabtree sent it to the back of the net to give Texas A&M a 2-0 lead going into the intermission.
The cavalcade of goals continued in the second half. In the 33rd minute, Cienna Arrieta cleared the ball out of the defensive penalty box to Watt along the left touchline. Watt went 60 yards, flying past two defenders on the way to a 10-yard shot to the right of the keeper. With 20 minutes remaining, Emily Bates launched a shot from 18 yards to the left of the penalty box arc into the right side netting and sister, Kendall Bates, scored five minutes later on a laser 22 yards out that flew inches south of the crossbar. Claudette Lassandro and Rheagen Smith assisted on the Bates sisters goals.
The Maroon & White owned a 12-4 edge in shots against Rice, including a 7-1 advantage in shots-on-goal.
Aggie keepers Cosette Morché and Jordan Burbank each played one half in both of the shutouts.
The Aggies return to action Friday when they host the Houston Dash of the National Women's Soccer League in an 8 p.m. match at Ellis Field.
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach G Guerrieri
On the match...
"It's a great way to start the spring. We played the Southland champions and get a good result, winning, 1-0, with a very solid performance being able to possess the ball. In the second game, against Conference USA champion Rice, I thought we had some really terrific play, especially in the second half. There was some really terrific play. The ball was moving very quickly, under control, and we got some great goals from Ally (Watt) and the Bates sisters."
On the goalkeeping...
"They were outstanding. They didn't give up any goals and they were really good leaders back there."
On what he's seen after three weeks of practice...
"It's a solid group. It's cool to see the five new freshmen, four of them played a lot today, fit in perfectly. You had the goal by Kendall Bates and assists by Macie Kolb and Tera Ziemer. Jordan (Burbanks) was really good during her time in goal."
Rising junior forward Ally Watt
On the scrimmages...
"It was really good to play against some other teams. It was good to see where we are right how. We had our guppies come in and play well and make a statement. It's good to play a game and see where your work in practice has you."
On the offense clicking in the Lamar match...
"We're really trying to figure out how to play with each other again. Losing those four seniors really took away a big part of the way we play. So we've spent the spring building chemistry. The guppies have helped the team rebuild. We're getting used to our new formation. Once we got some time with it you could see how well it can work."
Ally Watt accounted for three of the Aggies' six goals on the evening.
In the first game, the Aggies outshot the Cardinals, who the Maroon & White toppled in last year's NCAA Championship first round match, by a margin of 16-0. Early in the match, Watt scored on the cleanup after a cross by Brittany Crabtree was deflected by the keeper. Texas A&M continued to send shots goalward, but were unable to connect on insurance goals.
The second match had a much different flow as the Aggies broke the scoring seal in the 26th minute and the flood gates opened after that.
The lid-lifter against Rice was a Watt header just outside the six-yard box on assists from Macie Kolb and Emily Bates. Less than a minute later, Tera Ziemer found Watt racing down the middle of the pitch heading into the penalty box. She found Brittany Crabtree unmarked headed to the right post and Crabtree sent it to the back of the net to give Texas A&M a 2-0 lead going into the intermission.
The cavalcade of goals continued in the second half. In the 33rd minute, Cienna Arrieta cleared the ball out of the defensive penalty box to Watt along the left touchline. Watt went 60 yards, flying past two defenders on the way to a 10-yard shot to the right of the keeper. With 20 minutes remaining, Emily Bates launched a shot from 18 yards to the left of the penalty box arc into the right side netting and sister, Kendall Bates, scored five minutes later on a laser 22 yards out that flew inches south of the crossbar. Claudette Lassandro and Rheagen Smith assisted on the Bates sisters goals.
The Maroon & White owned a 12-4 edge in shots against Rice, including a 7-1 advantage in shots-on-goal.
Aggie keepers Cosette Morché and Jordan Burbank each played one half in both of the shutouts.
The Aggies return to action Friday when they host the Houston Dash of the National Women's Soccer League in an 8 p.m. match at Ellis Field.
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach G Guerrieri
On the match...
"It's a great way to start the spring. We played the Southland champions and get a good result, winning, 1-0, with a very solid performance being able to possess the ball. In the second game, against Conference USA champion Rice, I thought we had some really terrific play, especially in the second half. There was some really terrific play. The ball was moving very quickly, under control, and we got some great goals from Ally (Watt) and the Bates sisters."
On the goalkeeping...
"They were outstanding. They didn't give up any goals and they were really good leaders back there."
On what he's seen after three weeks of practice...
"It's a solid group. It's cool to see the five new freshmen, four of them played a lot today, fit in perfectly. You had the goal by Kendall Bates and assists by Macie Kolb and Tera Ziemer. Jordan (Burbanks) was really good during her time in goal."
Rising junior forward Ally Watt
On the scrimmages...
"It was really good to play against some other teams. It was good to see where we are right how. We had our guppies come in and play well and make a statement. It's good to play a game and see where your work in practice has you."
On the offense clicking in the Lamar match...
"We're really trying to figure out how to play with each other again. Losing those four seniors really took away a big part of the way we play. So we've spent the spring building chemistry. The guppies have helped the team rebuild. We're getting used to our new formation. Once we got some time with it you could see how well it can work."