No. 12 Baylor Soccer Ties No. 9 West Virginia 1-1 After Last-Second Stunner by 'Eers
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — No. 12 Baylor Soccer looked to have stolen a win to open Big 12 play when senior winger Lauren Omholt scored in the 78th minute against No. 9 West Virginia. However, the hosts, who dominated much of the game, were persistent to the last second, finding an equalizer through Saige Wimes on a corner kick with 18 seconds left in the game.
Baylor was outshot 20-4 on the night after struggling in the midfield for most of the game. To the credit of the Bears’ defense, WVU was not able to generate more than a handful of great chances despite the statistical domination. Most shots were funneled to areas that Baylor goalkeeper Azul Alvarez had well-covered.
Through the first half, Baylor was pressured heavily in the front line and the midfield, making positive possession incredibly difficult.
The Bears registered zero shots on the halftime stat sheet, with their best chances coming in fleeting moments around substitute forward Kate Runyon.
Before the break, Baylor started its shift to a 3-5-2 formation to help the midfield, and the tactical shift paid dividends in the second half.
The Bears, while by no means in control of the game, were better balanced and found spots to be aggressive.
The aggression and three-player back line did open up some more opportunities for the hosts, but the whole unit played well. Bella James specifically stood out in the first half with key interventions and blocked shots. Ava Slay, deputizing for Sydney Miller for part of the second half, also put in a notably good performance.
Alvarez was tested by West Virginia shots in the 54th, 60th and 76th minutes each of which was caught securely by the reigning Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week. The efforts were all on frame.
Then in the 78th minute, senior midfielder Aryanna Jimison found space at the halfway line in a transitional moment. Omholt made a run on the right wing and caught the WVU defense napping. Jimison’s ball was perfect and, despite a couple of less-than-perfect touches, Omholt slotted the ball past the keeper and into the back of the net. 1-0 Baylor.
West Virginia pushed for an equalizer immediately, working a great scoring chance in the 83rd minute that was lacking the final touch.
It looked like Baylor had done just enough to steal a massively important, top-10 win to open conference play when the Mountaineers won a corner kick in the final. 30 seconds of the game.
WVU’s Saige Wimes lined up directly in front of Alvarez, faded from the goal line back into the six-yard box to gain space, and directed the ball between Alvarez and Natalie Vatter to equalize with 18 seconds to play.
Based on the stat sheet and the first half performance, the Bears looked lucky to get away with a tie. However, after 89 and a half minutes, the Bears had done just enough to feel they earned the big win against great competition. One key lapse lost the Bears a two-point advantage in the Big 12 standings.
This was a gritty showing from the Bears and evidence that they can beat anyone in the conference anywhere on any given night, even if they don’t play their best. But… the difference between the win and the draw could end up being the difference between a regular season title and a second-place finish at the end of the season. The Bears have ten more games to earn the outcome they want.
Those ten games start on Thursday in Waco against the Oklahoma State Cowgirls, who just upset No. 20 TCU 3-1 on Thursday night. That game kicks off at 7 p.m. and will be available to stream on ESPN+.
