In a season that was anything but straightforward, LSU soccer ended their run in a back-and-forth 2-1 loss to Texas Tech.
The NCAA Tournament has never been a breeze for the Tigers, and this year proved no exception as they were slated to play the No. 8 seed Texas Tech in the first round. In their fourth-ever matchup, LSU head coach Sian Hudson was looking for her 99th win with the purple and gold.
“All credit to Texas Tech,” Hudson said. “They were clinical in terms of their finishes inside the 18-yard box, but I thought we managed the game in possession so much better in the second half and created some really good moments.”
The game kicked off with an opportunistic LSU finding the ball and two shots on goal in the initial 15 minutes. The Red Raiders were quick to counter with shots of their own and tightened the playing field.
Audur Scheving made her return in goal for the Tigers. After this year, she’s completed her debut season with 58 saves, ranking her among the top goalkeepers in the SEC, even after a four-game intermission.
The team was bested by Texas Tech in the 23rd minute after a free kick sent into the 18 was knocked in before any LSU defender could beat it. The Red Raiders built on their lead right before the end of the half when another ball was sent into the 18 and then headed and redirected into the goal’s top corner.
In a game for all the marbles, the Tigers found themselves with a very difficult task at hand heading halftime.
“I am really proud of the players and the way that they handled the environment tonight,” said Hudson. “I’m disappointed at the two goals that we conceded because I think that we have to defend our box better in both of those moments.”
As the second half began, LSU answered in just under 30 seconds with a breakout run and assist by senior Mollie Baker for freshman Amy Smith to tip into the goal. With 45 minutes still up for grabs, it was game on.
The match went on with each team putting more shots on the board – close call after close call, but to no avail for the Tigers.
“Over the course of the game, we had some really big chances,” Hudson said. “Danielle Shannon’s one-versus-one with the goalkeeper in the first half and Ava Galligan’s shot off the crossbar were two of our biggest moments.”
As the clock ran down, LSU experienced a repeat of last year’s devastation when they lost 2-1 to Memphis in the NCAA first round after falling behind in the first half.
As the Texas players rushed the field and the fans cheered on, the LSU team said goodbye to the pitch for now.
Texas Tech came close to doubling LSU in shots, a common story for the Tigers, but the teams were almost even in shots on goal by the end of the night.
“Maybe on a different day a couple of those chances would have dropped in for us, but looking at the last seven games of the season, when our backs were to the wall, I thought we came up really big in some big moments,” said Hudson.
In total this season, LSU was outscored by their opponents 34-33 with Ida Hermannsdottir leading the pack with a career-high of eight goals.
“I think if there’s a lesson to be learned, we have to turn it on a little bit earlier in our SEC season,” Hudson said.
This was Hudson’s fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in her five years as head coach.
“Overall, I’m really proud of the team’s effort tonight and wish Texas Tech the very best as they move on in the tournament,” said Hudson.
After a long and turbulent season, the Tigers finished with a 9-9-3 record. They will be looking to improve upon those numbers in their 2025 run.
