Aggie soccer shuts out LSU on the road to remain undefeated in SEC play
No. 14 Texas A&M Aggies earned a 2-0 victory over the LSU Tigers on Sunday in Baton Rouge. With the win, the Aggies improve to 9-1-2 on the season and 3-0 in conference play.
Coming off a statement 6-1 victory over conference opponent Kentucky, the Aggies were looking to extend their four-game win streak on the road. A&M’s offense has looked impressive in their most recent stretch of games, outscoring their last four opponents eighteen to one. With road trips to tough conference opponents on the horizon, the Aggies were hoping to continue to dominate.
With a first-year coach at the helm, LSU has struggled to establish themselves this season, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Coming off a tie with a tough Georgia team, the Tigers (who are 2-7-2 on the season) were looking to put themselves in the conference conversation with an upset win over a ranked A&M team.
The Aggies and Tigers got down to business on a warm and windy Sunday afternoon in Baton Rouge. Outmatched in offensive firepower, the Tigers relied on their defense to keep them in the game. LSU was well-prepared for the Aggies’ multifaceted attack and managed to successfully subdue the Aggies for much of the first half.
The Tigers’ disciplined defense prevented the Aggies from converting several close shots early, but A&M dominated in time of possession, playing the majority of the half on LSU’s side of the pitch. The Aggies looked sharp on the attack and proved to be a constant threat for LSU.
In the thirty-second minute, the Aggies looked like they might break the ice when Katie Smith sent a high powered cross to the box. The ball was deflected by a Tiger defender, but Rheagan Smith was in position to take the shot for the Aggies. The powerful shot bounced off the crossbar to keep the game tied up. In the thirty-third minute, Katie Smith had a second chance with a big shot on an open goal. The shot looked good but deflected off the end post. The Aggies came within inches of converting several times during the match, finding the post or crossbar for a deflection five times during the game.
Heading into halftime, the Aggies dominated the game in every statistic except the score. With the offense pressing early after the break, the Aggies’ determination to get on the board was evident. In the sixty-sixth minute, the Aggies finally broke through to take the lead. Ásdís Halldórsdótir hit a fantastic bending ball from the far left corner, and forward Ally Watt was perfectly positioned to receive the cross and tap it in the left corner of the goal to put the Aggies on the board.
In the seventy-third minute, the Aggies looked to increase their lead. Midfielder Katie Smith sent a cross to the right side of the goal. The shot bounced off the post where a surging Macie Kolb touched one in behind the fallen goalkeeper to put the Aggies up 2-0.
A stellar performance from the Aggies’ backline extinguished all of the Tiger’s offensive efforts and earned yet another shut out for their squad. LSU amassed only three shots on the day in comparison to the Aggies’ twenty-nine in the match.
A&M head coach G Guerrieri was pleased to add another conference win to his team’s résumé.
“Anytime you can go on the road in this league and win and come away with three points is a great day. For us now to be 3-0 in the league and get another shutout is a nice badge for the way we defend. Now it’s a chance to heal up and get ready for what is always a great match against Florida,” said Guerrieri.
The Aggies will be back in action when they take on the Florida Gators next Sunday in Gainesville.
