Texas soccer is rapidly preparing for its Big 12 Tournament quarterfinal matchup against West Virginia on Monday. Texas won the tournament in back-to-back years in 2006 and 2007, but in the last two years, it has had final and semifinal heartbreaks. 

With this year being Texas’ last season in the Big 12, it is looking to leave a mark, and in doing so, seems to have found its perfect identity.

On the field, Texas has been an offensive machine. The Longhorns lead the conference in goals scored with 59, led by junior duo Lexi Missimo and Trinity Byars, with 20 and 15, respectively. The goals typically come from their counter-attacking playstyle. With a secure defense, led by junior Mia Justus in goal, it is able to soak up the pressure and catch its opponents off guard on the counter.

“We’re good at our counter-attacks,” Byars said. “That’s what Texas is known for.”

However, head coach Angela Kelly credits Missimo and Byars for being able to adapt and move away from the counter-attacking playstyle when opponents double-team them.

“Now they’re figuring out ways to incorporate their other teammates, ways to have more dynamic movements and third-person combinations,”  Kelly said.

Kelly also believes that the movements of Byars and Missimo are influencing the other players on the team, as they move into the spaces left behind, allowing for more creativity in the middle of the pitch. 

“(Missimo is) clearing space in the middle,” Kelly said. “She’s also incorporating her teammates, understanding how to make and create space. And then you have the accent players like Holly Ward, Olivia Ahern, Jilly Shimkin — you can’t double team them all.”

The Longhorns’ identity doesn’t just lie within their playstyles, but also the mindset they have going into their last Big 12 tournament, especially since the players know what is at stake if they win.

A win for the Longhorns would mean making program history with its first Big 12 tournament title since their back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007. For some, it would erase the pains from the final and semifinal losses of past years, while, for others, it would be seen as the perfect way to end the Longhorns’ time in the Big 12.

“We’re trying to do new things with this team, and (wanting to) create program history,” Byars said.

The players aren’t doing this alone, as they have the full support of their coach.

“We’d love to leave a mark on the Big 12,” Kelly said. “This is another opportunity to win a championship. It just comes in the course of three matches instead of a nine-week period, but we’re up for it.”

With its last game against West Virginia ending in a 0-0 score despite 19 shots fired, Texas is looking at this aggressive mindset to be a key part of the game against the Mountaineers. 

The team’s “win or go home” mentality, as described by Missimo, translates to the field as the midfielder believes that playing hard from the opening whistle will allow the team success.

“Once we score early, the team crumbles the other opponent,” Missimo said.

Crumbling their opponent relies on Texas soccer sticking to its identity — both with the way it plays and the mindset it has while playing.

“The University of Texas needs to be us,” Kelly said. “We need to play free. We need to get after it. It’s just about being us. Being ruthless. Being ready to put a team away.”