University Star

The Bobcat soccer team got blanketed by Louisiana Tech University Friday in a 2-0 loss. The game marked the seventh time this season the team has gone through a match without a goal, and their third time in conference play to be shut out.

“(Louisiana Tech) was organized well defensively and they played a game that was going to make us do extra to get in behind them,” said Coach Kat Conner. “In the second half, I told the girls that we were going to have to do the extra to win.”

Texas State (5-10-1, 2-3) was unable to capitalize on opportunities throughout the first period as it outshot the Lady Techsters (12-1-3, 3-0-1) 6-2, and had three of its six shots on target.

Freshman forward Lynsey Curry used her one-on-one moves to create a chance to score in the 30th minute, but the Louisiana Tech goalkeeper was able to dive and stop the shot. Moments later, sophomore midfielder Tori Hale was fouled outside the 18-yard box, which presented an opportunity for senior defender Taylor Person to take a free kick. Person’s free kick deflected off of several Lady Techster defenders back to her. Person missed wide with her follow-up shot.

In the second half of the game, Louisiana Tech was able to out shoot the Bobcats 5-3 and capitalized on two of those five shots.

Lady Techster forward Rosie Lethbridge scored her fourth goal of the season in the 64th minute of the match. Her initial shot was blocked by junior goalie Natalie Gardini, but Lethbridge collected the rebound and connected with the back of the net to give Louisiana Tech the 1-0 advantage.

The Lady Techsters gathered the game sealer eight minutes later when their leading goal scorer Emily Brennan got her seventh goal of the season and finalized the match at 2-0.

“It was our mistakes,” said senior defender Emma Staley after Friday’s loss. “I think overall we didn’t play a terrible game. The two mistakes we made, they scored off of it, and the chances we had, we couldn’t finish. So, I don’t think we played terrible. Pretty much the whole game was our mistakes, which gave the results of the match.”

Texas State had a 9-7 advantage in shots taken and 7-2 in corner kicks attempted. However, the club had a disadvantage in shots on target Friday night, 6-4, and stalemated 4-4 on save count.
Conner said the difference in the match was the Bobcats’ non-response to the call to fight back.

“(Louisiana) Tech in the second half put pressure on us that gave away two costly goals,” Conner said. “They put pressure on us, and we didn’t fight back. That’s what cost us the game.”

In the past two seasons of playing in the Southland Conference, the Bobcats had only been shut out four times in 18 games. This season while playing in the WAC conference the team has been shut out three times in five games. The club will try to turn it around, as it will face New Mexico State Friday night at the Bobcat Soccer Complex on Senior night, the team’s final home game.

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