Mountaineers Victorious in Big 12 Opener

Friday, September 21

Lubbock, TEXAS

8:00 p.m.

West Virginia University

5-2-3

Texas Tech

8-2-0

West Virginia

Texas Tech

September 21, 2018 10:48 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score Season Stats

By: Shannon Wolfgang

LUBBOCK, Texas – The West Virginia University women's soccer team weathered the wind and a slew of fouls to defeat No. 22 Texas Tech, 2-0, this evening in its Big 12 Conference opener at John Walker Soccer Complex.

The victory, the Mountaineers' (5-2-3, 1-0) first of the year against a ranked opponent, pushes the team's win streak to four. The last three victories have been clean sheets.

Tonight's defeat is the Red Raiders' (8-2, 0-1 Big 12) first of the season in Lubbock.

"I give all the credit to the team – the executed and gave a total team effort tonight," Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. "They made the correct adjustments and were brilliant.

"It was a tough nonconference schedule. We took some lumps early, but they paid off tonight for us. I'm so proud of this team – they stuck to the game plan. Each and every one of them did their job to stop a prolific scoring team like Texas Tech. Tonight is a huge accomplishment for this team."

Knotted at 0-0 through the first 45 minutes, WVU wasted little time breaking the draw, as sophomore forward Lauren Segalla made the most of a through ball from senior midfielder Nadya Gill in the 47th minute, sending a shot above the box toward the far-left post for her first goal of the season.

Sophomore midfielder Stefany Ferrer-vanGinkel put the score at 2-0 in the 64th minute, connecting on her second penalty kick of the season. The opportunity was awarded to the Mountaineers after senior forward Hannah Abraham was pulled down inside the box.

Ferrer-vanGinkel's goal puts her team-best total at four. She paces the WVU attack with nine points (4 G, 1 A).

Prior to tonight, TTU had allowed just three goals all season and none in three of its last four matches. The Mountaineers are the first team this year to put two goals behind the Red Raider defense.

The WVU defense continued its stellar streak, denying the Red Raiders a shot on-goal. TTU entered the match with an 8.89 shots on-goal average. The Red Raiders are the third straight opponent and the fourth this season to not earn a shot on-goal against the Mountaineer backline.

WVU finished with a 9-7 shot advantage and forced Marissa Zucchetto into four saves.

Junior Rylee Foster played all 90 minutes in net for her fourth shutout of the season.

Abraham paced the field with three shots. She and Segalla each placed two shots on-goal.

The Red Raiders earned a 7-3 edge in corner kicks.

TTU had the first dangerous look of the match. With the ball high of the box, forward Jade King sent a low shot toward the net. The wind carried the ball wide of the far-left post.

Abraham nearly used the wind to her advantage in the 11th minute, as she sent a lofting shot from 25-yards out that sailed toward the near-left post, but Zucchetto was in position for the catching save.

Senior defender Bianca St. Georges nearly capitalized on an equally long shot nine minutes later. With a free kick five-yards above the box, she sent a high kick that sailed through the box and almost snuck under the crossbar. Zucchetto leapt at the right moment to catch the ball at the frame.

WVU's best chance of the first half came in the 26th minute. Senior forward Sh'Nia Gordon met Abraham's cross inside the box and put her shot near the penalty line on-frame. As has happened frequently this season, the ball slammed off the crossbar. It bounced along the line before Zucchetto placed it and cleared it away.

The Red Raiders pressed offensively throughout the final 10 minutes of the first half. WVU allowed just one shot and one corner kick during the span and denied TTU a quality look.

Down 2-0 in the 76th minute, TTU midfielder Carly Wickenheiser nearly cut into the Mountaineers' lead, but her long, on-frame shot smacked off the crossbar and out of play. Three minutes later, she nearly connected on a header at the far-left post, but her shot again hit off the wood.

With the win, WVU improves to 6-0-1 in Big 12 season openers and 7-2-1 against the Red Raiders.

The Mountaineers continue their road trip at No. 21 TCU on Sunday, Sept. 23, with kick from Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium set for 2 p.m. ET. The Horned Frogs (7-1-2, 0-0-1) opened Big 12 play with a 2-2 (2OT) draw against Iowa State this afternoon.