After eight weeks of edge-of-your-seat SEC play, it all came to an end for LSU soccer after a 3-0 loss to Texas in the SEC quarterfinals.
A scoreless first half turned into a second half to forget for the Tigers with three goals scored by the No. 3-seed Texas in their matchup on Tuesday afternoon.
LSU was riding high on a four-game undefeated streak after its first-round win over Auburn on Sunday. Texas received a bypass to the quarterfinals along with the other top-four-seeded teams.
“We had a couple of good moments in the box, but just didn’t get that piece of luck that we needed to get back in the game,” said head coach Sian Hudson.
Texas took a 3-1 win over LSU in the regular season in a similar game of catch-up for the Tigers. The Longhorns contain some of the SEC’s most formidable players such as the conference points leader Lexi Missimo and SEC Freshman of the Year Amalia Villarreal.
In the first half stand-off, LSU’s defense kept the team grounded with standout players Jasmine Ferguson and Sydney Cheesman leading the formation.
Almost immediately, the Tigers took a high press, keeping their opponents out of the penalty box and pushing possession upfield. Ferguson took the first shot of the match and tallied two in the half with one on-goal.
LSU finally found its offensive groove in the half’s final stages with increasing possession and shots sending the match into halftime as anyone’s game. Texas led 9-7 in shots and LSU took the only three corner kicks of the half.
The Tigers entered the second half with a bang. Not even five minutes in, the team had its closest opportunity yet when Ava Galligan sent a header towards the goal but was denied by a suspected handball. The play was reviewed and dismissed by the referee, becoming one of many near successes for LSU.
“I thought we started the second half really well, and we were the team in the ascendancy early on,” Hudson said.
About 10 minutes in, the game started to come undone for the Tigers.
Villarreal broke through the defensive line and took an unstoppable shot across the six and into the top left goal corner.
The goal was barely registered when Missimo sent a ball down into the 18 for Holly Ward to pick up and slide past goalkeeper Sophine Kevorkian and into the net.
“All credit to Texas,” Hudson said. “They’ve got two of the best players in the country, Lexi Missimo and Amalia Villarreal, and today, they were the difference makers for them.”
After almost an hour of fruitless battling for the lead, LSU was down 2-0 within two minutes.
“To concede the second one so quickly after the first one was a bit of a sucker punch for us,” said Hudson. “It’s a poor turnover in the midfield and a great transition moment from them.”
The Tigers’ fate was solidified in the match’s closing minutes when Ward charged into the box and scored Texas’ third and final goal in a moment of utter defeat for the LSU players.
“I think one of the key things for us is we’ve shown a theme this season of where we concede,” Hudson explained. “We just have to be better at regrouping after a goal is scored, coming together and showing a little bit more resilience in those moments to keep it tight and organized, and work to get ourselves back in the game.”
LSU’s SEC journey ends here with a 4-6-2 record including tournament results. With the NCAA tournament around the corner, the Tigers will have their fingers crossed that they are selected to compete for their last shot at redemption. The chosen teams will be announced on Monday, Nov. 11.
“I think in recent weeks, we’ve shown the ability in the last six games in the SEC to compete with anybody we’re on the field with,” Hudson said. “We’ve just got to hope now that we get a birth into the national tournament, and an opportunity to live another day.”
