Soccer falls to N.C. State 1-0

by Sarah Fetters

August 25, 2012

Austin, Texas - For the second-straight match, Texas Soccer played to a scoreless draw deep into the second half but came away with a tough 1-0 setback. Friday, it was N.C. State claiming a one-goal victory inside Mike A. Myers Stadium and Soccer Field as Jessica Baity scored at the 83:30 mark.

The Longhorns outshot the Wolfpack 10-6, but NCSU goalkeeper Victoria Hopkins made three saves to lift N.C. State (1-2-0) to the victory.

In the opening half, the Wolfpack's Cheyenne Spade fired the first shot of the contest at 3:36. It was the only shot the guests would manage in the entire initial period.

Texas (1-2-0) had its first scoring opportunity at 20:52, when sophomore forward Allison Smith fired high and over the goal. A corner kick in the 32nd minute resulted in a pair of shots by sophomore midfielder Sharis Lachappelle, but both attempts were blocked. It was Lachappelle again generating offense in the 37th minute with a shot that went wide left. One minute later, freshman Sydney Shutter forced Hopkins into her lone save of the initial frame. Senior midfielder Kristin Cummins fired the final shot of the opening 45 minutes at 37:45, but the attempt went wide left.

N.C. State again took the first shot of the period in the second half, with Sharon Wojcik launching one at the 53:38 mark. Sophomore goalkeeper Ava Vogel was credited with her first save of the evening on the attempt. Four minutes later, senior Hannah Higgins broke in on Hopkins off a feed from classmate Kara Hoffman, but Hopkins came out, cut down the angle and made the sliding save.

The Wolfpack responded with a near miss by Caroline Gentry at 71:03, as she knocked down a Texas header, broke in on Vogel and pushed the ball just inches to the right of the net. Higgins had another opportunity at 74:05, but a slide tackle by the NCSU defender prevented Higgins from getting off a clean shot.

Both teams took one more shot before the match was decided in the 84th minute with Baity's first goal of the campaign. Vogel attempted to clear the ball out of her own end, but Baity knocked it down and lofted it into the back right corner over Vogel's head for the score.

Cummins had the match's final shot at 86:28, but Hopkins came up with the save to preserve the shutout.

The Longhorns return to action Sunday with a 1 p.m. Central contest against Toledo (1-2-0). The match will be aired live on Longhorn Network.