Box Score MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Oct. 21, 2021) – Behind a career-best seven saves from junior goalkeeper Kayza Massey, the West Virginia University women's soccer team played to a 0-0, double-overtime draw at Texas at Mike A. Myers Stadium and Soccer Field in Austin, Texas, on Thursday night.
 
Massey tallied four saves in regulation, before going on to make three big stops in overtime to salvage the tie and set a new career high. The Mountaineer offense also tested Longhorn keeper Savannah Madden, as they recorded seven shots on goal of their own in the 110-minute match. Junior midfielder Maya McCutcheon led West Virginia (9-4-3, 3-2-2 Big 12) with four shots, while sophomore midfielder Lilly McCarthy placed three on frame, but the offense ultimately couldn't find the back of the net.
 
"I am super proud of how everyone gave 100% effort tonight to get a positive result against a good Texas team on the road," WVU coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. "It started with Kayza doing her job exceedingly well, then all the way to the offense testing UT on the other end. From kickoff to the final whistle, it was a total team effort tonight."
 
The first half was quiet on both ends of the pitch, with the Mountaineer and Longhorn defenses placing good pressure against the opposing teams' attacks. Sophomore forward/midfielder AJ Rodriguez fired the first shot of the game, but her attempt was blocked by a UT defender. Then it was McCutcheon with a long ball that went on target, but it was easily handled by UT's Madden.
 
Beyond that, it was a back-and-forth half, with neither team really getting the opportunity to create quality chances. West Virginia had a promising look in the 40th minute when McCutcheon had a shot blocked, before freshman forward Dilary Heredia-Beltran got ahold of the rebound. Heredia-Beltran found sophomore midfielder Chloe Adler, who tapped it to junior midfielder Aaliyah Scott, but her ensuing shot attempt went wide.
 
Just before the end of the period, Texas forward Trinity Byars made an attack toward the goal mouth, but Massey made her first big stop of the night with a sliding save toward the top of the 18' to keep the game scoreless at the half.
 
At the start of the second half, Heredia-Beltran earned an excellent look with a ball that looked like it was going to sneak into the top of the goal, but it was tipped away by Madden. From there, the second half played much like the first, with the two teams' back lines and keepers showing off to defend their nets well. Massey made another routine save in the 77th minute, but ultimately the game remained level at the end of regulation.
 
The first overtime period was all about Massey, as the Mountaineers' star keeper made a trio of athletic saves in the third period. Her first of the frame was a diving stop of a good Longhorn shot that she tipped just past the right post. Next, Massey fell on a long ball from UT's Byars, nearly letting it bounce off her chest, but she controlled it and the match went on. WVU's lone shot of the period came from senior midfielder Isabella Sibley, but it was controlled by Madden to send the game to a second OT.
 
Into the final 10 minutes, the two teams entered desperation mode in search of the game-winning score. The Mountaineers tallied a pair of shots to start the frame, but McCutcheon's attempt went high before Sibley's shot was blocked by the UT defense, earning WVU its fourth corner of the evening. Heredia-Beltran made one final attempt for West Virginia, but Madden got a hand on it, as the faceoff finished in the 0-0 draw.
 
The final stats were very indicative of the contest, showing nearly identical numbers for both sides, with the Mountaineers narrowly edging the Longhorns in shots, 14-12, and corner kicks, 4-3. The two squads recorded seven shots on goal apiece, as goalkeepers Massey and Madden showed off to make seven saves each in the gritty matchup.
 
Massey's seven stops against the Longhorns marked a new career best for the netminder, as she tallied the most saves for a WVU goalkeeper since Rylee Foster stopped eight shots on goal at Baylor on Oct 3, 2019.
 
With the draw, West Virginia's all-time advantage over the Longhorns moves to 9-2-2, as the two teams have played to overtime in two of the last three matchups. Additionally, WVU now drops to 0-1-3 in overtime matches this season.
 
Next, West Virginia completes its two-game road swing through the Lone Star State when the squad travels to Waco, Texas, to take on Baylor on Sunday, Oct. 24. Kickoff at the Bears' Betty Lou May Field is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.
 
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