The TCU women's soccer team's last Friday night home game of the season proved to be a nail-biter as the Frogs tied with Texas Tech 1-1 in double overtime.

Defense was the name of the game during the first half of the match. Head coach Eric Bell said the Frogs were off to a sluggish start during the first period.

In the first half the Red Raiders had 15 shots. Texas Tech was able to bang one of those shots past TCU goalkeeper Vittoria Arnold to get the lead heading into the half.

The game shifted in TCU’s favor in the second half as the Frogs came out on the offensive. Arnold said the team was unsatisfied with their first half performance and were challenged by their coaches to fight back as they headed into the second period.

And fight back they did. The Frogs held up their defensive front throughout the second period of the match, holding on until the last minute. It was then that senior Monica Alvarado netted a goal for the Frogs. 

During both ten-minute overtime periods the Frogs were able to shut out the Red Raiders and hold them to their one regulation goal.

Alvarado said even though the game ended in a tie, the team fought hard. “That’s the most I could ask from my team.”

Arnold had a huge hand in the defensive efforts for the team. She racked up a season high 13 saves in the game. 

The Horned Frogs fans also set a record Friday night with more than 2,000 people attending the game. This was the fifth largest home crowd at a game. Bell said the crowd created a positive atmosphere.

“If we can get these types of crowds on the regular basis I feel it would be a big time home field advantage for us,” he said.  

He said Alvarado is a silent leader. “She doesn’t lead by her voice but by her actions and her work rate,” Bell said. “The things she does on the field are fantastic.” 

The Frogs host Texas Longhorns on Sunday. Arnold said the team is going to need to play as aggressively as they did in the second half of the Texas Tech game.

With the tie on record, the Frogs need for the Iowa State University Cyclones to lose a game, and also pick up a win in one of their final two games to reach postseason play.

The Frogs continue their home slate on Sunday against the Longhorns. Match time is set for 1:00 at the Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium.