Hintzen, Grosso, Madden lead Texas soccer past Gonzaga, 4-3, in season opener

By Steve Lansdale

AUSTIN, Texas — Senior forward Cyera Hintzen scored her first goal of the season in ther 81^stminute to break a 3-3 tie and served up a career-high three assists to lead the No. 19 Texas soccer team to a 4-3 win over Gonzaga Thursday at Mike A. Myers Stadium.

After giving up the first goal of the season to Gonzaga’s Erin Healy in the 14^thminute, Texas got the equalizer in the 34^thminute when freshman forward Sydney Nobles converted Hintzen’s first assist into the first goal of her college career on a shot into the left side of the goal from about 18 yards out.

The Longhorns[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)] took their first lead of the season in the 40^thminute when sophomore Julia Grosso scored from 22 yards out after assists from Hintzen and junior midfielder Haley Berg. Grosso stretched the Texas lead to 3-1, again on assists by Hintzen and Berg, when she banked a shot off the bottom of the crossbar in the 45^thminute.

The Longhorns’ two-goal lead evaporated after halftime. Gonzaga pulled within a single score when Lauren Elwer headed in a corner kick by India Jencks in the 59^thminute, and then leveled the score at 3-3 when Gabriela Moss buried a free kick in the 67^thminute. Hintzen scored the game-winner 14:34 later on an assist by Grosso, who finished the night with a career-best five points.

Despite the offensive production from each side, the biggest play of the game was turned in by UT’s Savannah Madden. The junior goalkeeper recorded eight saves in her first collegiate start, including a stop on a potential game-tying Gonzaga penalty kick with five seconds remaining.

Texas improved to 1-0-0 on the season despite being outshot, 23-15. Gonzaga (0-1-0) also enjoyed an 11-7 edge in shots on goal. UT now has won 16 straight non-conference regular-season home games, dating back to Sept. 4, 2016.

The Longhorns return to action next Thursday in an 8 p.m. (central time) game at the University of Denver.
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