After playing its first five games of non-conference play, Texas soccer remains undefeated, with four wins and one tie versus No. 24 Iowa. In these five games, the team recorded four clean sheets and found the back of the net 13 times.
While senior goalkeeper Mia Justus, senior midfielders Lexi Missimo and Jilly Shimkin and senior forward Trinity Byars have all found their rhythm after an impressive 2023 season, here are five players playing other key roles under head coach Angela Kelly.
Madison Haugen
A transfer from Georgia, graduate defender Madison Haugen provides a different profile for the defense. While possessing the ability to win the ball back in one-versus-one battles, it is what she does with the ball that allows the Longhorns to maintain possession. Haugen dictates play by either passing the ball back to Justus to reset the Longhorns or sending the ball down the line for an outside midfielder that is open. She is also comfortable inverting from her wide position to a central position to help in the midfield. This was prevalent versus Iowa when the Hawkeyes packed the midfield. When Missimo ran out of options, Haugen was able to come inside, receive the ball and take it out of pressure.
Lauren Lapomarda
On the flip side, graduate defender Lauren Lapomarda plays on the opposite side of Haugen and is typically flying down her flank to provide an attacking option. This ability to be an option for the offense led to Lapomarda claiming an assist against CSU Bakersfield. On Sept. 1 against Central Michigan, Lapomarda showed her versatility when Kelly moved her from the left side of the defense to the right. While Lapomarda was not able to use her favored left foot as much, she kept creating attacking opportunities with crosses into the box that threatened Central Michigan’s defense.
Carly Montgomery
The youngest in the squad to tally 300 playing minutes, sophomore defender Carly Montgomery is also the second-youngest to start a game in the 2024 season. Despite her age, Montgomery has shown maturity playing in multiple center-back partnerships. In the first two games, Montgomery started in defense with senior defender EmJ Cox. When Cox went down with an injury versus CSU Bakersfield, Montgomery started the next two with graduate defender Abby Allen. Even with the changes in the backline, Montgomery has contributed to three clean sheets in her four starts.
Hannah Waesch
Graduate student Hannah Waesch is the only midfielder who has remained in the same position throughout the preseason. However, Waesch is the reason that her fellow midfielders can play multiple positions. No matter where her teammates are stationed, Waesch remains in the middle, protecting the defense. She also adapts her movement depending on where her midfield partners are. For example, when Missimo starts to roam around finding spaces in between defensive lines, Waesch fills in her space to ensure that the gaps left behind are not exploited.
Amalia Villarreal
The youngest to be featured on this list, freshman forward Amalia Villarreal has made an immediate impact on a team of veterans. In four appearances off the bench and one start, Villarreal has amassed 223 minutes, scoring one goal and assisting another. She is tied for the second-most shots on the team with 18 and third for shots on target with 11. With a gritty playstyle, Villarreal is always providing an on-field presence. Whether it is finding any way past her defender or going shoulder-to-shoulder to win the ball back, Villarreal is always finding a way to provide for the Longhorns.
Texas soccer will resume play at Mike A. Myers Stadium on Thursday, facing San Diego State at 6 p.m.
