Texas Southern defense solid versus UTRGV
The UTRGV Vaqueros lost 1-0 tonight to the Texas Southern University Tigers on opening night of the NCAA Women’s Soccer Season at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex on the Edinburg campus.
The Vaqueros start their season 0-0-1, while the Tigers begin their campaign with a win at 1-0-0.
UTRGV conceded the lone goal of the match via counterattack, with Tigers senior attacking midfielder Dejah Marsh putting the ball in the back of the net.
Physicality was the name of the game in this match, with both teams totaling 23 fouls (UTRGV 10, TSU 13).
UTRGV Women’s Soccer Head Coach Mark Foster told the news media after the game, ”That’s soccer for you.”
“It’s hard to believe what I see in training and just lack of composure in the game,” Foster said. “The dilemma and the challenge is for me to allow these girls a platform where they can do what they’re doing in training [and] do what they have in them, especially in the final third.”
Vaqueros senior midfielder Sam Maudsley winds up to kick the ball during tonight’s season-opener match against Texas Southern University at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex on the Edinburg campus. Abigail Ollave/THE RIDER
The Vaqueros began the first half of the match aggressively, creating several scoring opportunities on excellent buildup play. However, great defending by the Texas Southern back line kept UTRGV from finishing those chances.
Of the opportunities the Vaqueros created in the first half, they had six shots, three on goal, all saved by Tigers sophomore keeper Alessandra Bastidas. She finished the match with four saves.
The Vaqueros picked up where they left off, creating chances but not completing in the final third of the pitch. The Tigers’ backline held serve against the UTRGV attack.
Texas Southern then caught the Vaqueros on the break, with UTRGV ultimately conceding in the 51st minute. Graduate forward Victoria Pucci assisted Marsh to make it 1-0 TSU.
It would remain a physical duel in the second half. Senior midfielder Sam Maudsley was booked in the 59th minute, the first yellow card shown by referee Jose Dambrioso this match.
After several minutes of back and forth, Dambrioso showed another yellow card, this one to Tigers junior midfielder Clara Dotigny in the 80th minute.
The Tigers ultimately outlasted their physical duel with the Vaqueros, with the final whistle sealing a 1-0 victory for Texas Southern.
The Vaqueros will embark on a road trip following this match, playing Tarleton State University on Tuesday and Rice University Aug. 25 before returning home to play the Southern University Jags Aug. 29.
