DALLAS, TEXAS – West Texas A&M Women's Soccer (7-7-6, 6-5-3 LSC) season came to a close Thursday evening in the Semifinals of the LSC Tournament against UT Dallas. The Lady Buffs would fall 4-2 in penalty kicks after a tremendous 110 minutes on the field.
With a spot in the LSC Championship on the line, West Texas A&M pressed early on as they have over the course of the season. UTD stayed composed against that pressure as a defensive battle started to form. Offense was hard to come by for both teams as the defenses shined in the first half. WT nearly got on the board in the 24th minute a
Riley Sims crossed a pass to
Alicia Cohen right in front of the net. That ball got poked out and then the keeper would fall on the ball to prevent the great chance by the Lady Buffs. The Comets registered the games first shot in the 27th minute following a shot near the end line.
Franciezca Blancaflor came to the ball as UTD drove in and made a sliding save to deny that chance. UT Dallas would generate a pair of corner kicks and a shot over the next three minutes, but the Lady Buffs defended those chances nicely to keep them off the scoreboard.
Samantha Solorzano recorded the first shot for WT, but it would miss high in the 32nd minute. West Texas A&M had some chances in their attacking third as Sims went high on a header off a corner kick in the 36th minute for their second and last shot of the half. Blancaflor came up big again in the 44th minute as she saved a low shot to ensure the game remained tied going into halftime.
Out of the break, Blancaflor made another big save on breakaway opportunity for UTD as she leaped up and snatched a ball that was fired towards the back post. In the 58th, WT crossed a ball into the box that looked to ricochet off a hand of a defender. The ball landed at the feet of
Braely Martinez who had her shot in front of the net blocked. That play would ultimately be reviewed and no handball was called. The Lady Buffs kept the offensive momentum with their first shot on goal coming from
Alicia Cohen in the 59th minute. UT Dallas responded right back as they nearly got on the board in the 63rd minute. Right outside the box, they would fire a shot that got tipped up by Blancaflor and knock off the cross bar and onto the goal line. No goal was called, which would get reviewed and ultimately upheld with the ball not fully crossing the line. Both teams continued to create chances with five combined corner kicks the rest of the way, but neither team was able to get on the board. As the end of the second half neared,
Bailey Malone made an instrumental defensive play by taking the ball away from UTD right in front of the box where they would have had a clear shot on goal. The teams continued to battle, but after 90 minutes the game remained tied 0-0 as overtime commenced.
In the first overtime, the Comets would control possession for much of the 10-minute period, but the Lady Buffs defense stayed resilient in keeping them off the scoreboard. WT would block three shots in overtime as another 10 minutes were put on the clock. Second overtime came and went with UT Dallas having one shot and a corner kick. The Lady Buffs continued to defend at a high level as they forced penalty kicks for the second consecutive game.
UT Dallas would make their first two shots to start off PK's to go with a save on WT's first attempt.
Sara Soto went low in the center to give WT their first point at 2-1. Blancaflor made a big denial to start round three as she saved a shot on a dive to the right post to keep the Lady Buffs within one. WT would again have their shot saved which was followed by a make from the Comets as the score set at 3-1.
Charo Rodriguez Fortea kept WT alive with a make low and to the right, but UT Dallas clinched the win with a make. The Comets would advance 4-2 off penalty kicks in a valiant effort by West Texas A&M.
Top Lady Buffs
- Sara Soto played all 110 minutes and converted her PK attempt.
- Charo Rodriguez Fortea recorded one shot and converted her PK while also playing all 110 minutes.
- Franciezca Blancaflor started in goal and made two saves in 110 minutes. This was her eighth shutout of the season which is tied for the sixth most in a single season in program history.
Buffalo Bits
- West Texas A&M is now 0-2-1 all-time against UT Dallas.
- Braely Martinez added two shots in her 62 minutes. This was her eighth multi-shot game of the season.
- Ryann Davis, Rozlyn Rumsey, and Samantha Solorzano all played 110 minutes. This was Davis' 16th full game this season, Rumsey's ninth, and Solorzano's sixth.
- Riley Sims played 102 minutes and recorded one shot.
- Alicia Cohen landed one shot on goal in her 59 minutes.
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