AUSTIN — UTSA soccer held up defensively for much of a slugfest with The University of Texas at Austin, but the Roadrunners could not keep the Longhorns off the board forever. Two second-half goals drastically flipped the game, as UTSA lost to Texas 2-0 at the Mike A. Myers Stadium and Soccer Field on Saturday.
Both teams spent much of the first half locked in a defensive stalemate. UTSA showed discipline in the back end, while Texas controlled possession but lacked finishing. The Roadrunners came out aggressively to start the second half, generating early chances and briefly shifting momentum before Texas flipped the game completely. The Longhorns separated themselves by capitalizing on defensive lapses and converting on two well-timed goals that ultimately sealed the ‘Runners’ fate.
“I think the biggest thing that got to us was fatigue,” coach Derek Pittman said. “At this stage in the spring, we struggled a little bit with our mental and physical fitness, and I think that punished us on the goals we gave up, and why we didn’t score some of the chances we created. That’s on us as coaches. We’ve got to go back and look at where we’re at with our fitness level so we can execute what we’re trying to do.”
Pressure from Texas and resistance from UTSA defined the opening 45 minutes. Senior goalkeeper Jasmine Kessler was tested almost immediately and spent much of the half cleaning up dangerous balls in front of the net before the Longhorns could pounce. The Roadrunners absorbed wave after wave of early pressure, with forwards Audrey Bryant and Ava McDonald helping pin UTSA deep in its own end. Still, the defense held, as Kessler collected an early shot at her chest, McDonald missed wide after sprinting past multiple defenders and Texas failed to cash in despite four shot attempts in the first 10 minutes.
The ‘Runners struggled to generate much going forward before freshman midfielder Leah Varela sent the team’s first shot just over the crossbar during the eighth minute. Texas nearly broke through in the final 30 seconds, but defender Vivian Geesbreght let a prime chance slip away and UTSA escaped into halftime with the game tied.
The second half briefly looked like it might tilt the other way. Freshman forward Brooke Viccars opened with an ambitious attempt from the right side and UTSA followed with another quality look that forced goalkeeper Kendall Williams into action. That burst gave the Roadrunners their best stretch of offensive soccer all afternoon.
“It’s always frustrating when you create chances and you can’t find a way,” Pittman said. “We had chances on free kicks. We had a rebound hit the crossbar. We created corner kicks and were dangerous in those areas. I was proud of the quality we showed on the ball at different times.”
However, the momentum would vanish quickly, as forward Ashlyn Anderson broke the deadlock with a finish from the top of the penalty area that slipped past Kessler and into the right side of the net. UTSA had one of its best looks to answer when freshman forward Dulci Binns found sophomore midfielder Bri Carrigan in space, but Williams denied the attempt and kept Texas in front.
Texas midfielder Addie Brink then delivered the dagger. After Kessler blocked the first effort, Brink collected the rebound and buried the second chance to make it 2-0. UTSA finished with five shots to Texas’ six, but the Longhorns were sharper in the moments that mattered and made the Roadrunners pay for every lapse.
“It’s that ruthlessness — the mentality to go and finish,” Pittman said. “Even on some of the crosses and deliveries we had, we just lacked that edge. Every time they got near our goal, we were a bit nervous. I don’t think they felt that same way when we got near theirs. That’s something we have to keep adding.”
UTSA will head back to San Antonio to play its Alumni Game at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, at the Park West Athletics Complex.
