By Steve Lansdale
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas soccer team improved to 6-0-0 for the first time in 24 years by blanking No. 25 Colorado, 3-0, Friday at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
The Longhorns got first-half goals [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]from midfielder Katie Glenn and forward Alexa Adams, and an insurance goal from forward Cyera Hintzen in the 48th minute to effectively put the game out of reach; Glenn’s goal was her second of the season, while Adams and Hintzen each found the netting for the first time this season. The loss was the first of the year for the Buffaloes, who fell to 4-1-2.
“I think it feels wonderful,” Texas head coach Angela Kelly said of her team’s 6-0 start. “It’s just a credit to the players. They have been working so hard in training. They’re doing the right things on and off the field. It really pleases me that they get this small reward, but our next match is Sunday. They can enjoy it for tonight. We’re going to go cheer on our volleyball squad against Minnesota right now. We have our future teammates on official visits in town, so we’re going to support all our other Longhorns tonight. We’re going to be at the football game tomorrow as well, and then we’re going to get ready for our match on Sunday.”
The shutout was the Longhorns’ third consecutive clean sheet, and extended their streak of minutes played without allowing a goal to 349:11. The victory also was UT’s first at home over a ranked team in nearly three years; the last time Texas beat a ranked team in Austin was Sept. 26, 2014, when the Longhorns edged then-No. 16 Texas Tech, 1-0, in overtime.
Adams said that having such an early test this early in the season serves as a good measuring stick for the Longhorns.
“It’s just a good feeling for when we play higher ranked teams like Colorado,” she said. “I think it’s good that we had this game at this moment so we can see where we’re at and continue moving forward in the season.”
The game was closer on the stat sheet than it was on the scoreboard: Texas only outshot Colorado, 12-10, and held a 5-2 edge in shots on goal.
Glenn echoed her coach’s pleasure with the team’s 6-0 start, but said the celebration has to be short-lived.
“It’s great,” Glenn said. “We have worked very hard up to this point, and I think our hard work is paying off. Now we’re just getting ready for the next game.”
Texas will be back in action Sunday when it hosts Northeastern at 1 p.m. in a game that will be shown on the Longhorn Network.
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