Musser’s First-Half Goal Highlights Ladyjacks’ Tight Battle with Nationally Ranked Longhorns on Friday Night

Friday, September 6

Nacogdoches, Texas

7:00 PM

Stephen F. Austin

1-2-0, 0-0-0

Texas

1-2-0, 0-0-0

Texas

Stephen F. Austin

Morgan Wessling

Musser’s First-Half Goal Highlights Ladyjacks’ Tight Battle with Nationally Ranked Longhorns on Friday Night

9/6/2019 10:36:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Kevin Meyer | Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Sophomore Mattie Musser rose up to knock in a go-ahead goal in Friday's 3-1 result against No.24 Texas at SFA Soccer Field, setting the tempo for what would be a pitched battle between the two teams. The goal in the 14^thminute came off a corner kick service from Sophia Fondren, and was Musser's second tally of the season. The Longhorns finally broke through for an equalizer in the 37^thminute, added a second half go-ahead score in the 61^stand tacked on a late goal in the 80^thminute.

OF NOTE
• SFA totaled 10 shots in the contest compared to 22 for the Longhorns. Elise Davis's second half-tally was disallowed for offsides, while a booming shot off the foot of freshman Colleen Feagins in the game's 64^thminute beat the Longhorn keeper but careened off the crossbar and away to safety.

• Allyson Halliday was solid in goal for the 'Jacks, making four crucial saves and denying multiple Longhorn attacks and services into the box.

• The Lone Star State matchup drew an excellent crowd out to SFA Soccer Field of nearly 900 people.

• Fondren's assist was the first of her junior campaign and 11^thof her career, moving her into a tie for tenth most in career history at SFA.

• SFA continues its home stand with a matchup on Sunday against Texas Southern University. Kick-off is set for 1:00 PM.

COACH CRITTENDEN'S THOUGHTS
Overall thoughts on his team's play on Friday night:
"I think tonight was a good night. It's always disappointing when you don't get the result you want, but few learned a lot about what our team is made of with the technical skill, shape-shifting and competitive energy displayed. We scored a tremendous set piece goal to open the scoring and found ourselves within a goal with 15 minutes left. At the end of the day when your plan is in place, go full speed, put it on the line and test yourself, and I'll tell you that a few moments in that game could've tilted it either way. Texas was a great opponent, I'm thankful that they came and played us here in Nacogdoches so our fans could come and see two great teams going head to head, and that certainly didn't disappoint."

On his team's work on set pieces tonight:
"We worked on some things in practice this week in regards to set pieces, primarily in defense, and I thought we were really good in those moments tonight. There were some moments I thought we could've been better in possession, but we were dangerous to play against, we had an identity and when you have a team that can achieve that, you're going to win some games."

On the great crowd out at SFA Soccer Field on Friday:
Our fans turn out. Since 2013 we've beaten an SEC team here, we've beaten a Pac-12 team here, we've gone toe to toe with other big opponents here in which the result just didn't tilt our way, with tonight being one of them, so why wouldn't you come out? There's some improvements with the facility we're working on, but the type of soccer that's on the field right now is very good, and I have a feeling that the ceiling for this team is going to be very high."

-SFA-