Texas A&M soccer remains undefeated, shuts out No. 18 Kansas
The No. 4 Texas A&M soccer team defeated No. 18 Kansas 3-0 to move to (10-0-0) for the first time in program history. The Aggies notched goals from Abby Grace Cooper, Addie McCain, and Ally Watt, and put together a great defensive effort to come out on top.
“I think the start is a great statement of where we are at as a team. Today was a terrific statement of team because we used a lot of players,” head coach G Guerrieri said. “We’re just going to keep on keeping on because we’re 10 games into a 20 game regular season.”
Midfielder Emily Bates entered the match late in the first half, in her first game since suffering an injury in the Aggies’ match against Colorado College on Sept. 7. Bates made an impact as soon as she stepped on the pitch and anchored the midfield. She was a focal point in the Aggie attack.
“Emily went in and really upped the tempo of what we were doing, she looked great in combination,” Guerrieri said. “That combo of her, Piper and McCain is a really talented group and a fun group to watch.”
Forward Abby Grace Cooper got the Aggies on the board first with her first career goal. Defender Jordan Hill played a beautiful through ball into Cooper’s feet who cut inside with a right-footed touch, juking a Jayhawk defender and ripped a strike into the near side of the goal in the 38th minute.
“I didn’t think that I had an angle from the right side so I cut it back across on my left and just shot my shot,” Cooper said. “It was a really good ball from Jordan and she’s one of my really good friends so it was a cool little duo. I was excited that I was able to finish that off for her.”
The two teams went back and forth to begin the second half but the momentum completely shifted in the Aggies’ favor after Addie McCain struck a bouncing ball into the upper left corner of the net on a rocket shot. McCain’s goal was her second in as many games.
“The last time that I can remember seeing her hit a ball that hard was when she hit a ball just like that as a sophomore in high school to win the State Championship,” Guerrieri said. “Phil was talking to the team at halftime about how they weren’t going to have time to set yourself up and to look to hit balls first time. Low and behold, we scored two first time goals in the second half.”
Just seconds later, the Jayhawk keeper grabbed a bouncing through ball but then mishandled it and eventually dropped it. The ball then went onto the foot of forward Asids Halldorsdottir, whose shot hit the bottom of the crossbar and Ally Watt was able to volley it into the empty net.
“I was really hoping that Asdis’ shot would go in but it was my job to be there and to put in,” Watt said. “I had to work around a defender and get around it and I was lucky enough to get my foot on it.”
Though the Aggies’ incredible offensive moments stole the spotlight in the match, the A&M defense was stout and posted their eighth shutout of the season. The back line of Kendall Ritchie, Briana Alston and Jordan Hill was able to suffocate the Kansas attack and eliminate goal scoring opportunities. A&M goalkeeper Cosette Morche made a couple of good saves and showed awareness in reading crosses and through balls. Kansas finished the match with 12 shots but just two were on goal.
“It gives our forwards confidence because they have been so solid and just a brick wall back there. Cosette Morche has been great, I am so glad that she transferred here last year,” Watt said. “She’s been a brick wall back there as well. Anyone that we sub into that back line I know that they will do a good job and opponents will have a tough time getting through them.”
The undefeated Aggies will return to SEC play on Thursday as they travel to Fayetteville to take on Arkansas. The game will be televised on SEC Network with kickoff slated for 7 p.m.