Baylor Soccer Falls in Conference Opener Against No. 16 Texas, 4-0

[Gilmore, Katy]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – September 14, 2023

Baylor Soccer Falls in Conference Opener Against No. 16 Texas, 4-0
Bears hold the Longhorns scoreless in the first half

For more information contact: Katy Gilmore; 254-252-2182, katy_gilmore at baylor.edu<mailto:katy_gilmore at baylor.edu>

THE RUNDOWN
WACO, Texas – Baylor soccer fell to 16th-ranked Texas in its conference opener, 4-0, Thursday night at Betty Lou Mays Field.

The Bears and Longhorns battled for all of the first half and went scoreless until the second half. Starting goalkeeper Ashlee Zirkel came up with huge saves in the first half, recording her first in the 21st minute. In the 32nd minute, she came up with back-to-back saves to stop Texas’ attack and keep the Longhorns off the board.

Tyler Isgrig provided the Bears’ first threat in the first half, putting a shot on frame in the 15th minute, but the Texas goalkeeper came up with the save.

The momentum went to the Longhorns in the second half, with their first goal on a penalty kick after a handball in the box. With the 1-0 lead, Texas was able to find its second, third and fourth goals within the span of nine minutes to give the Longhorns the 4-0 advantage.

Ashley Merrill, Skye Leach and Isgrig were the only three Bears to record a shot in the second half, with Merrill and Isgrig each putting one on frame.

HIGHLIGHTS

  *   Ashley Zirkel had a career-high nine saves
  *   Four Bears combined for the team’s seven shots, with Tyler Isgrig leading the way with three
  *   The Bears took six corner kicks
  *   BU held the Longhorns scoreless in the first half

QUOTABLE
Michelle Lenard on the game …
“A 4-0 loss looks like a beat down, but if we fix the ability to control the space, that doesn’t happen. And that starts with our backline responding better in the second half, stepping and being more aggressive. Be willing to deal with counter attacks, which Ashlee (Zirkel) can do it because she’s fast, she’s good off the line. She can play high, that’s why she’s in this game. And then we don’t. We drop, drop, drop, and we just give really good, technical players too much time and space inside our box.”

WHAT'S NEXT
The Bears will face UTSA on Sunday, Sept. 17, at 6 p.m. CT in their last non-conference test of the season.
- BaylorBears.com -

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Katy Gilmore | Associate Director of Athletic Communications
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
O: 254-710-2743 | C: 254-252-2182

[cidimage002.png at 01D79F3C.9D2300D0]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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