Aggies, Tigers trade blows and share the points in 2-2 draw at Ellis Field

You could not have asked for a more even matchup.

On Friday evening at Ellis Field, Texas A&M (8-7-1, 2-5-1) tied LSU (8-3-6, 2-1-6) in Southeastern Conference soccer action, 2-2.

The Aggies broke their two-game losing streak after last week's back-to-back losses to Vanderbilt and Alabama. In contrast, the Tigers broke a four-game losing streak after consecutive losses to Texas, Kentucky, Auburn and Mississippi State.

“I thought they played really well,” Texas A&M associate head coach Phil Stephenson said. “Nine shots on goal, 24 shots total [for us], six shots for them, three shots on goal. The offense was doing very, very well. We did miss Carolyn Calzada. She’s a really unbelievable leader at the back for us but Kat Campbell stepped in and did fine, did really well.”

Stephenson spoke postgame in place of head coach G Guerrieri, who was shown a red card in the 64th minute for apparently disputing a VAR review of a handball in the LSU box.

The ejection came after the Tigers took a 2-1 lead.

Friday night fireworks gave in the second half after the ball bounced back and forth between the teams' possessions in the first half.

TexAgs

MaKhiya McDonald’s goal on Friday was her third of the season.

In the 14th minute of the match, Mia Pante took a shot on goal that LSU keeper Audur Scheving deflected — allowing the ball to be cleared by her defenders. This was the closest that the Aggies got to scoring in the first half.

By the end of the opening 45, the Maroon & White outpaced LSU by shots (9-2) and shots on goal (5-0).

Despite this, none reached the back of the net on either end of the field.

That is, until the second half.

When a Grace Ivey pass was sent downfield at the feet of a full sprint MaKhiya McDonald, who shot from close, outmaneuvering the keeper, and the ball found itself in the net to bring the score to 1-0.

“I feel like we showed a lot of courage, a lot of fight,” McDonald said. “I think that shows that we really want this and that we’re fighting for each other and for our coaches as well.”

Just 90 seconds later, LSU equalized after a handball in the Aggie box.

Sydney Cheeseman took the penalty kick and aimed at the outer right side of the net, evening out the score at 1-1.

In the 63rd minute of the match, LSU took the lead at 2-1 after a freekick was shot at the lower left side of the goal. The shot found its way into the back of the net.

A handball by the Tigers in the 80th minute led to a freekick just outside of the box.

Sydney Becerra shot the ball into the upper left-side corner of LSU’s goal, tying the score at 2-2, which would be the eventual final score of the game.

“I see every day after practice, when she's practicing. Sydney and Leah Pirro are just unbelievable at [freekicks],” Stephenson said. “It's those difficult things that are kind of special, and she’s a special player.”

Despite her incredible goal, Becerra focused on what remains ahead for the Aggies.

“The next two games, we have to win. We really do,” she said. “We’re kind of on the fence getting into tournaments and stuff, so this week of training is going to be important just to stay focused.”

On Thursday, Guerrieri & Co. will travel to Fayetteville to face the No. 4 Razorbacks (11-1-1, 6-1-0).

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT.