UTSA soccer lost its second-straight game, falling 2-0 against North Texas Thursday evening at Park West Athletic Complex. The Roadrunners (5-5-2, 0-2-1 AAC) played their final home game for a three-week stretch as they play three-straight road conference matches.
UTSA has definitely changed its offensive dynamic since playing against Memphis last week. The women passed the ball backward to each other on their half of the field as a means to keep the ball grounded and away from the Mean Green.
“We’re always going to be aggressive,” UTSA coach Derek Pittman said. “For large portions of the first 10 minutes, we were the better team until we gave away that set piece that changes the tide.”
A goal from North Texas midfielder Jenna Sheeley at the seven-minute mark was declared offsides, giving the ‘Runners a second chance to be the first to score. UTSA was 0-2 for shots against North Texas to this point.
Sabrina Hillyer tumbled into a Mean Green player and forced the ball out of bounds, rewarding North Texas with a corner kick.
Defender Madi Starrett went in to take the corner kick. She launched it to Rachel Roebuck, who made an excellent cross to Sheeley, who sent a header towards forward Summer Brown who knocked the ball through the top center of the goal in the 12th minute. Brown leads North Texas in goals.
After the Mean Green were awarded a free kick, goalkeeper Maddie Ogden stepped up and kicked the ball straight into the top left corner of the goal from halfway down the field to give North Texas a 2-0 lead in the 44th minute.
“Right before half, 15 seconds to go, the one thing you can’t do as a goalkeeper is let the ball go over your head,” Pittman said. “It’s definitely not [Jasmine] Kessler’s fault, by any means. She’ll grow, learn, she’ll respond, and she’ll bounce back and find the next game,” Pittman said of the freshman goalie.
UTSA took 11 shots against North Texas, showing that the team worked to score against the Mean Green throughout the game. They were just unable to put any of those shots in without getting stopped by the keeper.
“Unfortunately, right now, we’re just lacking confidence or lacking courage to take the responsibility that it requires to go and score goals and put those moments on our back and to do our job,” Pittman said. “And I thought it was better tonight than it was against Memphis. We’ll be better for it come Saturday and Sunday as we get ready for SMU.”
UTSA’s next three soccer games will be on the road. The first will come against the SMU Mustangs at 7 p.m. Thursday, at the Moody Coliseum.
