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No. 2 Mountaineer Drop Close Match
November 06, 2015 09:40 PM | Women's Soccer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In a well-played chess match between the conference’s lone ranked teams, No. 18 Texas Tech got the best of No. 2 West Virginia tonight, as the fifth-seeded Red Raiders defeated the top-seeded Mountaineers, 1-0, in the 2015 Big 12 Soccer Championship semifinal at Swope Soccer Village.
The loss snaps the Mountaineers’ (16-2-1, 6-0-1) 16-match unbeaten streak and seven-match unbeaten streak at the Big 12 Soccer Championship. It is the team’s first defeat since falling 2-1 to No. 11/13 Virginia Tech on Aug. 23.
The Mountaineers, the championship victors in 2013 and 2014, were done in by the two-time reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, as Texas Tech senior forward Janine Beckie gave the Red Raiders a decisive advantage in the 74th minute. Beckie chased down a long ball from Caity Heap. After sneaking behind the WVU defense, she sent a low shot from just inside the 18-yard box that sailed toward the far right post past the outstretched arms of Hannah Steadman.
The goal was only the seventh allowed by the Mountaineers all season.
“At the end of the day, we just didn’t finish,” said Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown. “Janine Beckie is the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year for a reason. That kid battled all game long, and she capitalized on our mistake. Unfortunately, we couldn’t put any of our opportunities away tonight.”
The Mountaineers nearly netted the equalizer late in the match, as defender Bianca St. Georges, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year, chased down the ball and saved it at the baseline in the 87th minute. She sent the ball into the box, where classmate Nia Gordon ran up on it and took a shot from 10-out, but Red Raider junior Lauren Watson was able to drop to her knees for the save.
WVU earned its last of eight corner kicks and two more shots in the final two minutes, but the team was unable to tally the tying goal.
“WVU is the second-best team in the country this week, and I hope the NCAA Committee looks at our body of work and recognizes that this team has earned a top seed at the NCAA Tournament,” said Izzo-Brown.
The Mountaineer defense marked the Red Raiders (12-3-5, 3-2-2) well throughout the evening, holding TTU to just eight shots, with only two on-goal. WVU finished with 17 shots and forced Watson into six saves. The Mountaineers finished with an 8-1 edge in corner kicks.
Fresh out of the locker room, WVU opened the second half strong, getting early looks from sophomore forward Michaela Abam and Gordon 10 minutes in. WVU junior midfielder Ashley Lawrence sped past the Red Raider defense in the 55th minute before sending the ball into the box to a waiting Abam, but her left-footed shot went wide of the frame. A little over a minute later, Gordon made a great spin move on the right wing, but her shot slammed off the far post and back into play.
The game’s first 10 minutes were frantic. The Mountaineers struck first, with senior midfielder Amanda Hill getting a shot from 20-yards out in the second minute, but a TTU defender was able to block it. Just three minutes later, Abam was issued a yellow card, resulting in a Red Raider free kick from 30-yards out. Midfielder Allie Murphy’s ensuing kick was on point but skimmed the crossbar before going out.
Kadeisha Buchanan, the three-time reigning Big 12 Defender of the Year, made a big defensive stop in the eighth minute, chasing TTU freshman Gwennie Puente down from behind before making a sliding tackle to push the ball away, negating what looked like a sure one-on-one situation.
With momentum going the Mountaineers’ way, Gordon was able to work the ball to senior forward Kailey Utley in the 11th minute, but her point-blank shot was stopped by Watson for her first save of the game. The Red Raiders earned their first shot on-goal in the 13th minute, as Beckie earned a clean look from 20-yards out, but Steadman was able to make the low save.
Utley had her second good luck in the 21st minute, but her shot from the left wing was met at the near post by Watson. Beckie put a scare into the Mountaineers in the 34th minute, as Buchanan was caught out of place, allowing her Canadian National teammate to float behind the WVU defense, but her shot from inside the 18-yard box flew over the crossbar.
The Mountaineers got the last look of the half, as Lawrence sent a great cross in that found senior midfielder Leah Emaus at the far right post, but Heap made a last-second dive that blocked Emaus’ shot out for a WVU corner kick. The Mountaineers were unable to capitalize on the chance as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
Beckie paced the field with five shots. Utley led the Mountaineers with three shots and placed a game-best two on-goal.
Tonight’s match was the first between the teams at the Big 12 Soccer Championship. The Mountaineers continue to lead the all-time series, 3-2.
Seated at No. 6 in this week’s NCAA RPI, the Mountaineers should advance to the 2015 NCAA Tournament. A bid would give WVU 16 straight tournament appearances. The 2015 NCAA Tournament field will be announced Monday, Nov. 9, at 4:30 p.m.
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