TCU soccer earned a hard-fought 2-1 win on Friday night, as they beat No. 13 Texas Tech in Lubbock to improve to 9-4-1 on the season.
Gracie Brian scored the game-winning goal in the 49th minute.
“It was a quality win against a quality opponent on the road,” head coach Eric Bell said. “The overall team defending was excellent. I’m happy and proud of our group.”
Despite the score reflecting a tight margin between both teams, TCU showed ambition to win the game from the start, generating four corner kicks inside the first four minutes of the game. The product of that was the first goal in the sixth minute, as Messiah Bright intercepted a pass and scored a screamer.
Texas Tech showed hustle equalizing the game just four minutes later via a set piece in which Demi Koulizakis poached the ball into the back of the net. Tech kept their intensity up, forcing TCU’s goalkeeper, Emily Alvarado, to a sensational one-hand save in the 24th minute.
Pace and pressure were seen early on in the second half by TCU as Brian bagged a tap-in in the 49th minute after a well-worked assist by Yazmeen Ryan, giving TCU the lead and eventually the victory. Solid defense was seen as well, as the Frogs kept Tech to only four shots on the rest of the half, all saved by Alvarado.
“It was nice to answer early in second. Again, they have to exert energy to get a goal and maybe that tires them out,” Bell said. “The way our kids worked and competed was next level, especially in a hostile environment. That’s hard to do in this league.”
Bell mentioned the win was deserved for all the effort his team put in throughout the week.
“We had a hard week of practice. We were all chomping at the bit to play somebody besides ourselves,” Bell said.
TCU will have just a 48-hour rest, as they play a postponed home game against Baylor this at 7 p.m. Sunday.
