Baylor Soccer fights hard, falls to #9 Texas A&M 2-0
On Thursday coach Paul Jobson praised his team’s intensity level. Tonight, they showed they had another level.
Baylor controlled the first half against the #9 Aggies. After five minutes of getting used to the game, the Bears started closing down A&M attacks quicker and kept possession better.
Freshman Haven Terry put in a great shift at the top of Baylor’s press, keeping the Aggies uncomfortable.
Gabby Mueller, Maddie Algya and Ally Henderson worked hard in the midfield to clean everything up, and while the Aggies did get deep down the sides and close to the 18-yard box in the middle, they rarely threatened. A&M registered only 1 shot all half which was saved by pre-season All-Big 12 goalie Jennifer Wandt.
On the other end, Baylor looked threatening but not necessarily dangerous. Terry and Algya both registered shots on goal with Taylor Moon and Chloe Japic helping the Bears tally six total shots and four corners for the half.
Wandt was active all half distributing the ball and helping Baylor play out from the back. When called upon she was up to the task, most notably making a fingertip snag on a dangerous-looking cross from the right side in the 41st minute of the half.
Baylor used four subs by the end of the half with only one sub reaching 10 minutes played. The Aggies made a mass sub of five players midway through and ended the half having rotated seven players off.
Right from the kickoff of the second half the intensity level took a step up.
Texas A&M took control of the game and started matching Baylor’s physicality. Aggie forward Makhiya McDonald caused a lot of problems down the left side of the Bears’ defense.
Andersen Williams was able to control a nice McDonald cross in the box and slot home the opening goal for the Aggies in the 65th minute.
From then on Baylor was chasing the game for a tying goal. Moon worked hard and after Terry, who might’ve run further than anyone else tonight, was subbed off for Elizabeth Kooiman Baylor had their best chance of the half.
Kooiman made a nice step-over and chipped in a dangerous cross from the left side. Sadly, Kenna Caldwell got her hands on it for the Aggies.
A tough turnover by Brooklyn Kouns for the Bears led to the Aggies’ second goal by Mia Pante.
From there, the Bears kept fighting but started showing their fatigue.
Despite a couple of free-kick opportunities, the Bears fell 2-0 to the Aggies.
After the game coach Jobson said, “They got two goals on some mistakes that we made but those are learning opportunities.”
Regarding Haven Terry’s performance, Jobson said, “She’ll be even more effective as she goes along. I think she’s proving that she’s going to fit really well into what we are doing.”
“We are going to get Mack Anthony back. She’s a different type of center forward and that’s a pretty good one-two punch that we’re going to have on our front line.”
And Jobson said of the Aggies, “This team had a great season last year. They were the pre-season #9 and for most of the game we were the better team. We were a couple saves away from them chasing the game and that’s something we can learn from too.”
WOTM: Haven Terry – She ran herself into the ground working really hard for Baylor’s press.
Up Next: @Minnesota (Thu. 8/19 6PM) – Start of the regular season
