For 44 minutes and 59 seconds on Sunday, things were not quite clicking for Texas’ offense.
A few missed shots and a lot of failed opportunities plagued the team early on.
But then, with one second left in the first half, senior midfielder Julia Dyche launched a desperation pass from midfield into the goalie box for a waiting Katie Glenn. The sophomore midfielder ran underneath the ball and collided with Detroit goalkeeper Marina Manzo, who was trying to defend the pass. In an instant, the ball bounced into the back of the net to put Texas up 1-0 just before halftime.
“We had 10 or so seconds left, and there’s never really any time to score,” Glenn said. “[Dyche] served it up, and I just tried to get something on it.”
Glenn’s first career goal gave Texas a much-needed boost heading into the locker room. The Longhorns out-shot Detroit 9-1 in the first half. But up until Glenn’s last-second goal, the team couldn’t capitalize on plenty of scoring chances.
“Something that we really highlight and talk about is closing out a half,” head coach Angela Kelly said. “What a different feeling to take a goal into the half … I thought we had moments of doing some good things. We strung together a couple good series. I would’ve loved to have a couple more finishes in the back of the net.”
The Longhorns picked up right where they left off in the second half, controlling the tempo on offense and dominating possession time.
Sophomore forward Alexa Adams was fouled near the box in the 57th minute, which set up a free kick opportunity for freshman defender Emma Jett near the end line. Jett fired a cross dangerously close to the goal. It deflected off a Detroit defender for an own goal to put Texas up, 2-0.
After many early scoring chances in the first half, Adams finally broke through with a goal of her own in the 72nd minute. She received a cross from sophomore forward Nakia Graham on the left wing and headed the ball off the right post and into the net, giving Texas its third goal of the match.
“We missed a couple, but we know we have other opportunities to score,” Adams said. “We just got to focus on the next one and bury it.”
Texas moves to 2-1 on the season and will turn its head to next weekend’s two-game home stand. The Longhorns face Sam Houston State on Friday at 5 p.m. and California on Sunday
at 11 a.m.
With two wins behind them, the Longhorns are confident they can build on the momentum and launch a successful season.
“We have a lot of promise,” Kelly said. “We have a lot of players that have a tremendous amount of upside. We have great leadership, and we have a desire to win. We’re going to keep plugging away. We’re really pleased with the response from last week versus Seattle to this weekend.”
