Baylor Soccer Overcomes Arizona 2-1 to Advance to Second Round of Big 12 Tournament

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Baylor Soccer upset the Arizona Wildcats 2-1 in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament thanks to timely goals from Callie Conrad and Caroline Staubach.

The Bears avenged their 1-0 regular season loss to Arizona in this second tightly contested, physical matchup.

Neither team dominated the game with Baylor looking to build out from the back and Arizona looking to attack with counters. Both teams had periods where they dictated the game and looked in control, but the Green and Gold simply made more of their chances.

The Bears took just seven shots compared to the Wildcats 12, while the shots on goal were four to five in favor of Arizona. Baylor just did better to convert more on fewer shots.

The physicality of the game looked key in helping Arizona take the advantage in periods like after the Bears' first goal and early in the second half.

The Wildcats fouled the Bears 17 times officially and — in tandem with the overly hands-off officiating — provoked all three disciplinary cards in the game.

Baylor Athletics - Cole Tompkins

Tyler Isgrig controls the ball for BU

The yellow cards on Ashley Merrill and Tyler Isgrig had no great effect on the game, though both were likely deserved. Merrill for shoving an Arizona defender in frustration and Isgrig for the battle over a ball late in the game that got her hit in the face.

That hit to the face was what guaranteed red for Aranda Hurge of Arizona when she lost her cool on Isgrig. The Baylor forward never lost her composure thought.

Now to the most important part: the goals!

Baylor did what they have struggled to do lately by scoring early and scoring first. Tyler Isgrig dispossessed an Arizona defender just outside of the 18-yard box on the left side. She drew an extra defender toward her as she took aim on goal, but then she didn’t shoot. Isgrig had spotted Callie Conrad across the box and fired a pass parallel to the goal line. Conrad lunged to get her right foot on the ball and poked it home. 1-0 Baylor in the tenth minute.

Fourteen minutes later, Arizona equalized when Marissa Gray’s clearance near midfield went directly to a Wildcat. With Gray running upfield to make this play, there was a gap between Baylor’s remaining defenders that Narissa Fults punched on for Arizona. After slicing between the defenders and running onto the trough ball, Fults’ shot beat Azul Alvarez to the far right post, tying the game at 1-1.

Baylor Athletics - Cole Tompkins

Skye Leach makes a pass for BU

The winner came with just fifteen minutes to play when Skye Leach carried the ball up the right wing and sent a cross bouncing in toward the penalty spot. Sophomore forward Caroline Staubach got herself to the spot as well looking to hit the ball on the half volley. Her right foot made pure contact with the ball and sent it rocketing past the wrong-footed Arizona keeper. 2-1 Bears.

For Staubach, this was the first goal in her collegiate career. For Baylor, this may have been the best goal they scored all year, regardless of the important circumstances. Just an amazing strike.

With the red card incident and a stoppage of play for an injury to Baylor’s Natalie Vatter, the Bears fought the result over the line and earned a longer stay in Kansas City.

The Bears now have two days off to prepare for No. 2 seed Texas Tech who they lost another close game to 1-0 back on October 4th.

That game is scheduled for 5:30 PM CT on ESPN+.