AUSTIN, Texas – On a picturesque Thursday night at Mike A. Myers Stadium, No. 23 Texas soccer (9-1-3, 3-0-1 Big 12 Conference) utilized a four-goal onslaught over a stretch of just 13:55 of the second half to blow past Kansas State (4-7-2, 0 -3-1 Big 12 Conference), 4-0.
The Longhorns were powered offensively by the first career brace (two goals) and an assist from the fifth-year senior defender. Cameron Brookssophomore defender EmJ Cox’s fifth goal of the season and a career-best three-assist effort from the sophomore forward Trinity Byars.
Texas Match Notes
- Texas again played without the services of the injured sophomore midfielder Lexi Missimo (day-to-day with a lower leg injury).
- The Longhorns defense recorded its third consecutive shutout and is now riding a scoreless streak of 290:48 dating back to the second half of the 1-1 tie at No. 12 TCU (Sept. 22).
- Texas extended its program record Big 12 Conference regular-season unbeaten streak to 13 straight matches (9-0-4) dating back to the start of the 2021 league campaign.
- Texas stretched its 2022 unbeaten streak to 11 games (8-0-3) dating back to Aug. 28 against Florida.
- Texas out-shot Kansas State in the contest by a total of 21-11, including 10-5 in shots on goal, and led 12-2 in corner kicks.
- The Longhorns improved to 7-0-0 all-time against the Wildcats, including 4-0-0 in Austin. Texas has outscored Kansas State in the series by a combined total of 21-0.
- Brooks’ brace (two goals) marked the first multi-goal match of her career, while Byars’ three assists were a personal career single-match high (seven total helpers in 2022).
- Cox’s goal was her single-season career-high fifth of the year, while a sophomore midfielder Jilly Shimkin (fifth), sophomore midfielder Ashlyn Miller (sixth) and Brooks (fourth) all recorded single assists.
- Graduate goalkeeper Savannah Madden made five stops in recording her 22nd career shutout.
- Texas improved to 8-0-1 this season when winning the possession battle against its opponent after posting a 61-39% advantage over Kansas State.
The Details
Just 2:14 into the match, it was Kansas State that made Burnt Orange hearts skip a beat as Kyler Goins drove a 22-yard shot on frame that Madden leapt high to tip up-and-over the cross bar.
During the ninth minute, Byars almost created something for the Longhorns. The Richardson, Texas, native worked hard on the right side to maintain possession before crossing a tantalizing ball into the middle. Two UT players were running to the feed, but the pass was a foot or two too far in front to get off a shot.
The Wildcats were back at it at 10:22 as a pass from the left wing found Goins in some space out on the right side of the 18-yard box. She eventually attempted a 10-yard shot, but hit it into the side netting.
The Burnt Orange & White got on the board shot-wise at the 12:12 mark as a fifth-year senior forward. Mackenzie McFarland hammered a 12-yard shot that was stopped near the right post by KSU goalkeeper Alaina Werremeyer.
A Kansas State turnover about 35 yards out nearly came back to haunt the Wildcats during the 15th minute. After a steal, fifth-year senior Emma Regan played a through ball to Shimkin in the left side of the box. The Rockville Center, NY, native took a dribble and tried her luck from 10 yards out only to have Werremeyer save it over the end line for a corner.
With the Horns finally settled into the contest after some early K-State possession, Texas put on huge pressure during the 18th and 19th minutes. Shimkin and sophomore forward Holly Ward had shots blocked at 18:26 and 18:37, respectively. Off an ensuing corner, Miller blasted away from 22 yards straight out but launched her try over the top.
KSU found some success off the counter over the next 15-20 minutes, but shots from Goins (20:22 & 34:16) and Andra Mohler (37:06) proved either off target or blocked away.
During the 38th minute, Kansas State earned a corner kick. On the delivery into the middle of the box, the ball ricocheted around among the crowd. It eventually popped back outside the 18 where Maddie Weichel shot high and wide left.
Out of the halftime break, Shimkin fired again for the Longhorns, but her 18-yard attempt traveled straight to Werremeyer for a save.
Texas continued to threaten into the 55th minute as Shimkin drove hard up the right wing and crossed a ball to the middle. Tightly marked, Byars managed to get off a shot, but her 10-yard attempt ventured wide right.
Shimkin came within inches of a breakthrough at 56:55 as her bending shot from the top left corner of the box rattled off the cross bar.
Just 1:22 later, the woodwork again thwarted the Burnt Orange & White as fifth-year senior Emma Regan’s 19-yard shot hit off the right post.
After countless threats throughout the match, the Longhorns finally found pay dirt at 67:27. The play started near midfield as Byars took possession and passed up the field to Shimkin. The sophomore midfielder passed left to Brooks streaking up the left wing. The Round Rock, Texas, product took a couple of dribbles to within a yard of the end line and blasted an 18-yard shot that somehow beat Werremeyer at her near post before settling into the far side netting to make it 1-0.
That score quickly opened the floodgates as Texas soon added two more goals over a 54-second stretch at 71:56 and 72:50.
The Longhorns doubled their advantage off a set piece at 71:56. Taking a corner kick, Miller delivered a terrific feed towards the top of the six. Werremeyer leapt to try to make a play on the ball for K-State, but had it trip over her as Cox raced in behind to head home from three yards out to make it 2-0.
In possession outside the box during the 73rd minute, Byars fed a pass out to her left to Brooks charging near the top of the six. Werremeyer raced off her line, while trying to prevent a shot, but had the ball somehow elude her as Brooks managed to pivot to her right and effectively back tap a six-yard shot into the left corner of the twine.
With Kansas State desperate for some type of answer, Caylee Thornhill had a 22-yard shot blocked at 78:02. About a minute later at 79:07, Jazmin Brown drove a 16-yard shot into Madden’s waiting arms.
UT eventually finalized its scoring output in the 82nd minute. Off a long Brooks throw-in, Byars took possession and delivered a pass directly into the path of Shimkin charging into the left side of the box. From there, she wasted no time driving a 12-yard effort past Werremeyer and into the far corner for a 4-0 lead.
Kansas State had one final chance to get on the board at 82:31, but an Adah Anderson shot was routinely caught by Madden as Texas went on from there to finalize its commanding win.