PERIOD. 💅 Winning is FUN and No. 24 Texas Tech Soccer did that once again on Sunday in a 2-0 win over Iowa State at John Walker to move to 6-0-2 in conference and 11-2-2 overall on the year. The Cyclones tried to slow the game down, keep numbers back and seemed comfortable playing for the draw if it came to it but second half goals from Texas Tech's Macy Blackburn and Ashleigh Williams thwarted that plan.
The first half was a bit disjointed at times as Iowa State was doing everything they could to milk the clock and kill rhythm. Texas Tech still managed to look spicy on the ball in attack regardless and despite what players noted in the postgame presser as some "silly deep shots" they were able to work the ball into the box a handful of time for looks that just missed. Including this one that ultimately went off the post from senior Jillian Martinez, who once again made an impact in this game following one of her better games of the year on Thursday versus Colorado. Also shout out senior Cassie Taylor who's effort to even keep this ball in off the cross was mint. Seniors turning it up a notch in October? Well of course.
Coming into this game Iowa State had gotten three draws in their last four matches playing their trademark build a fortress around the goal and only send bodies forward on counter attacks style. A tricky matchup really for a Texas Tech team that is battling atop the Big 12 standings and trying to build a resume for a postseason bid....a draw for the Red Raiders would have damaged those chances. This team wasn't going to let that happen as they kept the pressure on and Macy "the Magician" Blackburn somehow skipped this rocket in off the grass into goal to bust the pipes and get the scoring started.
"She struck it so well, just a pill of a ball. When you hit the ball she hit it had the chance to go in if no one touched it, and that’s the one we call scoreable...If she hit it wider then it wasn’t going in on it’s own. It’s the perfect set piece. We’ve seen her do it before for other people and today she got it for herself.” - Head Coach, Tom Stone
The team's main talking point following their 1-1 draw with Colorado Thursday was they felt they let off the gas after going up one goal early in the second half. A trademark of this year's team however, is how quickly they have been able to learn, move on and grow so it's of little surprise they did just that on Sunday keeping the peddle down to nail this one away fully. Kaitlyn "Bug" Giametta could have played it safe here up 1-0 but didn't hesitate one bit when she saw this ball trickling between two defenders, shot through the line and took it full field with eyes on the goal. The defender was then forced to make a dangerous play on the ball in the box that she ultimately missed and Bug earned a rightful PK that would put the team up 2-0 and seal the W.
Notes:
🫡 It was Senior day at John Walker and the team honored four of the five outgoing seniors pregame, with fifth-year Elise Anderson having already gone through the festivities in 2023 (thankfully the team kidnapped her and convinced her to return this season but we digress.) Shoutout to all five of this group who have helped make Texas Tech Soccer the PROGRAM that it is during their time here: Sidney O'Billovich, Cassie Taylor, Jillian Martinez, Ashleigh Williams and Elise Anderson. You've given us plenty of memories thus far but we are greedy so let's make a lot more before you go okay? OKAY.
🐂 Ashleigh Williams is getting hot at the right time of year just like she has made a habit of scoring at the right time her entire career and her savvy PK finish made it three goals in three consecutive games to push her career goal mark to 36.
🚀 Peyton Parsons was causing trouble all game out of the midfield and nearly rocketed in her 8th goal of the year on a first half blast that took a nice save from the reigning Big 12 Keeper of the Week, Avery Gillahan, for Iowa State. Taylor Zdrojewski was there for the rebound but a close offsides call went against her to keep this tied at 0-0 going into half.
📈 There's a gamechanger (what this team calls subs) every week that makes an impact and while multiple people flashed once again it sure seemed like every time the ball was near her Skylar Haase was making a play on it, in the second half especially. A likely gassed Zdrojewski by this point didn't quite get her normal heat on this shot off a great pass from Haase or it could have been a late third goal. You love to see it though from the sophomore.
🪨 Copy, Paste, Repeat that this Texas Tech backline is class. Iowa State is not the most dynamic of teams in attack but they can be dangerous off counters or set pieces and every single time they leaked out it ended in a 1V1 defending showcase by one of the four on the backline: Blackburn, Taylor, Scurcenski, Anderson, Dyess, Annen or Faith Nguyen herself in goal. Iowa State only got TWO SHOTS OFF ALL GAME (only one on goal), can I get a sheeeesh? Offensive threats in games ahead but you always feel confident going into the fight with that group on your side.
Up Next:
Texas Tech heads back on the road for two important ones at West Virginia Thursday and at Cincinnati on Sunday. The first one being a battle of two of the top three teams in the Big 12 standings as WVU comes into this 6-1-1 in Big 12 play and 10-3-2 overall. First kick on Thursday at 6pm CT on ESPN+. Let's FIGHT. 🧘♀️
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