Baylor Soccer Drops Closely Contested Match to Texas, 1-0
AUSTIN, Texas — Baylor Soccer (2-6-2, 0-2-0) dropped their fourth straight game despite one of their best efforts of the year. The Texas Longhorns rode a moment of individual brilliance from forward Trinity Byars to win 1-0.
“I thought the soccer that we played, the brand of soccer that we played was really positive,” said Baylor coach Michelle Lenard after the game. “We got on the ball, we played through the midfield, we created attacking opportunities. We got in the box, we got shots off. I feel like we're really trending in the right direction.”
Sadly, the right direction did not get the Bears their first goal in 346 minutes or any points towards qualification for the Big 12 tournament.
After the Bears and Horns felt each other out for the first 20 minutes, the Burnt Orange poured forward. They took control of the next ten minutes of the game.
That is when Byars made something out of nothing. In the 28th minute, she corralled the ball about 25 or 30 yards out from goal and the middle of the field. She proceeded to slalom through Baylor defenders until it was just her and Lauren Traywick face to face. Byars cooly slotted the ball into the bottom right corner of goal. 1-0 Texas.
“She's a great player, so she's going to create chances like that,” said Michelle Lenard. “We've got to do a little bit better in our recovery effort there.”
From there Baylor responded well though.
Not two minutes had gone by before Elizabeth Kooiman drove into the box and was forcefully cut off by a Texas defender. No foul called with the ref right on top of the play.
Five minutes later, Maddie Algya was also tackled in the Horns’ box but the ref barely acknowledged the play. A tough time for the Bears but they chose to take matters into their own hands.
In the 40th minute, Kooiman found space on the left side, cut back inside a little and send a powerful curling shot toward the upper left portion of the Texas goal. The UT keeper made a great save to deny the Bears.
Just a minute later, Kayley Ables got her head on the end of a Baylor corner but the shot went off the crossbar.
The Bears would get no closer in the second half and the teams hit the halftime break with the visitors down 1-0.
The break didn’t slow Kooiman down though.
She came out and started the second half after being a substitute in the first. In the 57th minute, she nearly found Jenna Patterson in space at the far post, but they just couldn’t connect.
Three minutes later, Olivia Mack had a really nice bit of hold-up play with her back to the goal. Mack dished it to Kooiman who sent a shot towards the bottom left corner of the goal from the edge of the 18-yard box. Saved.
“She's definitely a winger by nature,” Lenard said of Kooiman after the game, “She plays better facing up rather than back to pressure. We've got a lot of competition right now in that front line and I think that's pushed her to be a little bit better this week.”
Kooiman wasn’t the only offense for the Bears though. Maddie Algya, Gabby Mueller, Olivia Mack, and Blythe Obar all registered shots on goal.
Ashley Merrill was also not going to let one of the Bears’ best games all year go by without getting a shot off.
In the 80th minute, Merrill made a run into the box to get on the end of a looping cross. She attempted a flying kick of some sort and sent her shot well over the goal.
It was an acrobatic effort, if not a little rushed, but it really was a good chance late in the game.
The last, best chance for the green and gold was once again off the foot of Elizabeth Kooiman in the 86th minute.
Patterson got a cross into Kooiman who made an athletic turn with the ball staying under her body the whole time before getting a shot off.
Sadly the shot was a little weak and she had Algya sitting just outside the box with more time and space.
“We do need a player or two to step up inside the box,” noted Lenard after the game.
And at this point, it the little things like having a feel for when not to rush that can make the difference.
Texas rode to victory on a great play from one of their best players. The Bears didn't have that moment of brilliance in them tonight.
Baylor did look better facing a less direct and less physical team though. In some part, that is the nature of the style of play Michelle Lenard favors. Not the best for a team in the Big 12, but it helps explain how Baylor can perform better against higher-quality opponents.
On the night, the Bears had 14 shots — seven in each half — forced 9 saves, and held Texas to just 11 shots, one of the Horns’ lower outputs for the season.
This performance should feel good for both players and fans in green and gold, but the team did miss a great opportunity to steal a point or even three from a top-of-the-table (read standings) team. They may come to regret that as qualification for the conference tournament tightens up.
WotM: Elizabeth Kooiman — Five shots. Five shots on goal. Over one-third of Baylor’s offensive output and she is unlucky to have not converted one. She really looked great being back out on the wing.
Up Next: vs Kansas Thursday 10/6 7 PM CST (Scarf Night)