HOUSTON, Texas – Behind a brace from junior forward Taylor White, the West Virginia University women's soccer team earned a 4-1 victory over Houston at the Carl Lewis International Complex in Houston, Texas, on Friday night.
 
In the final game of the regular season, the Mountaineers (12-4-2, 8-2-1 Big 12) got on the board with a tally from junior forward Ajanae Respass in the first half before adding three goals in the second – two from White and one from sophomore forward Abbey Olexa. White's brace marked her second of the season, as well as the third for WVU this year.
 
With the win, West Virginia officially clinched the No. 3 seed and will get a first-round bye in the 2024 Sprouts Farmers Big 12 Championship in Kansas City, Missouri, next week. After being picked to finish seventh in the preseason coaches poll, the Mountaineers secure the program's ninth top three, regular-season conference finish since joining the Big 12 in 2012.
 
The lone score in the first half came on a beautiful sequence from sophomore defender Olivia Shertzer to Respass. Shertzer sent an excellent service into the box in the 20th minute that found Respass, who headed it perfectly into the bottom corner of the goal. The 1-0 Mountaineer advantage would stand at the half.
 
Out of the break, White wasted no time adding to West Virginia's advantage. After several corner kick chances for the Mountaineers in the early minutes of the half, they finally put the pieces together in the 50th minute. Senior defender Annika Leslie took the corner, and her service found Respass in the box, who sent the ball to White to knock it in for the score.
 
Then, just 33 seconds later, White added on to advance the Mountaineer lead and earn her second career brace. Fifth-year midfielder Lilly McCarthy dribbled into the attacking third and sent the ball forward to White, who outpaced a UH defender and found the back of the net for a 3-0 WVU lead.
 
From there, Houston managed to get on the board in the 65th minute, but Olexa would put the icing on the cake in 89th minute with an impressive, unassisted goal from just outside the 18-yard box. The score marked Olexa's second of the year, while White and Respass are now tied for the team lead with seven goals on the season.
 
In the final box, West Virginia fired 22 shots, its second-highest in a match this season, while the defense held Houston to just seven. WVU also held a 10-4 advantage in shots on goal and a 10-2 lead in corner kicks. White's first goal was credited as the game winner. Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Mackenzie Smith was called on to make three saves in the match.
 
Of note, West Virginia has reached 12 wins for the first time since 2019, as well as eight conference wins for the first time since 2016.
 
West Virginia now looks ahead to the 2024 Sprouts Farmers Market Big 12 Championship, set for Oct. 30 – Nov. 9 at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. As the No. 3 seed, WVU has earned a first-round bye and will face the winner of a first-round match between the No. 6-seed vs. the No. 11-seed in the quarterfinals on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 9 p.m. ET.
 
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.