TXST Press Release: SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State soccer team (6-0-1) continued its unbeaten run in comeback fashion Thursday night with two second half goals to claim a 2-1 win over Rice (2-5-0) at the Bobcat Soccer Complex. The victory was the first over the Owls since Sept. 10, 2002.
“This is a team that fights every day. We can count on them to work hard from start to finish and am proud of their work rate, which is something we can control,” said head coach Steve Holeman. “Rice is a phenomenal team and are going to win a lot of games in their conference. So, this was a really, really huge win for us.”
Rice peppered the goal with shot attempts from distance throughout the first half. It wasn’t until late in the 39th minute when Grace Collins took a try from 20 yards out that took a slight deflection off a Bobcat defender and into the net for a 1-0 lead, which the Owls took into the break.
Over Rice’s last 24 matches in which it led at halftime, the program had recorded a 23-0-1 record. That unbeaten run would come to an end behind a determined TXST squad.
The Owls nearly doubled its advantage 10 minutes into the second half when Serena Pham ripped a free kick on frame. Katelyn Chrisman made a leaping save to push the ball over the crossbar that kept it a one-goal deficit.
Early in the 58th minute, Texas State won a corner kick. Juana Plata played the ball short to Madi Goss, who passed it quickly back to the senior defender, who sent a cross into the box. The ball hit off Caroline Kirschner back towards the far post where Goss ran onto it and deposited the ball into the back of the net for her third goal of the season.
Two minutes later it looked like the Bobcats took the lead when Olivia Wright put back a rebound on a shot from Zoe Junior after it clanked off both posts. However, the score was called back due to the junior forward being offsides.
On another corner kick with under five minutes to play, Plata sent the ball into the box where the Rice goalkeeper tried to catch it but lost control of the ball. It bounced around to Avery Thies, who took a shot that was stopped by the keeper but saw it come right back to her. The senior defender took advantage of the second chance and knocked home her first career goal to give TXST a 2-1 lead.
The Bobcats survived one last score from the visitors when Kallie McKinney hit a high shot that hit off the top of the crossbar and bounce out for a goal kick in the 89th minute.
Wimberley Wright led Texas State with three shots off the bench. The trio of Mya Ulloa, Junior and Thies recorded two attempts each.
