Noble goal by Nobles in 88th minute lifts Texas over Oklahoma

Arjun Rao

After storming out to a 3-0 lead, it looked like the Longhorns had run out of steam as the Sooners mounted a furious comeback, scoring three goals in the second half to tie the match. 

But in the 88th minute, junior forward Sydney Nobles saved the day.

Receiving the ball halfway between the Sooners’ goal and midfield, freshman midfielder Lexi Missimo threaded a pass between two defenders to freshman forward Trinity Byars, who found open space to the left of the goal. With Oklahoma goalie Nikki Panas charging the ball, Byars passed the ball across the middle of the box to Nobles, who had just enough space to score the winning goal.


The goal was Nobles’ first of the season, and a welcome one, as the Longhorns extended their winning streak to five games. Texas also improved its conference record to 2-0.

Missimo and Byars continued their stellar seasons against the Sooners, with Missimo tallying three assists and Byars notching two goals and an assist of her own. 

Though the Longhorns scored four goals in the afternoon, tied for the second-most goals  scored in a game this season, the offense was unable to get many chances. Taking only nine shots, with five on goal, Texas converted its attempts at a 44% rate. 

The Sooners only took seven shots, with two on target. Texas helped Oklahoma tie the match  by adding an own goal to the score in the 83rd minute.

With their record now at 6-3-2, Texas now sits in fifth place in the Big 12. With the Longhorns’ next game at home against top 10-ranked TCU, the young Texas team will face its biggest challenge of the season. 

With five straight wins under their belt, the Longhorns feel confident about their chances as they look to put the rest of the Big 12 on watch.