Texas A&M soccer downs UTEP, 4-1, to win 13th consecutive home match

The Aggies secured their 13th straight home victory on Sunday afternoon, defeating UTEP, 4-1.

After a 5-0 shutout against Sam Houston Friday night, Texas A&M looked to maintain its impressive offensive form, having outscored opponents 8-1 in the last two matches.

Being the third game of an ongoing four-match homestand, the Aggies looked sharp out of the gate despite only one full day of rest.

Texas A&M controlled possession for most of the opening minutes, showcasing the group’s great team play through multiple advances past midfield.

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Kate Colvin’s 48th-minute goal put the Aggies in front for good.

Sophomore midfielder Taylor Pounds broke the ice in the 11th minute off an assist from SEC Freshman of the Week Mia Pante, giving the Aggies an early lead.

The Miners scrambled to keep A&M out of the box as the home side kept up an aggressive offensive attack after Pound’s goal. Four shot attempts from three different players followed in the six minutes following the goal.

After failing to gain any offensive momentum due to a tight press from the Aggie defense, UTEP’s Jojo Ngongo broke away and tied the game in the 40th minute.

The Maroon & White continued to operate a high-octane offense, outshooting the Miners, 9-2, in the first period.

Returning for the second half, A&M looked prepared to get back on track despite the deadlock in 100-degree heat. 

Coming into the game, Texas A&M head coach G Guerrieri strategized to maintain the energy before the match despite Friday’s match and participating in festivities at yesterday’s football game.

“Our big focus was going to be (the Aggies) looking after themselves; lots of hydration, staying out of the heat as much as they could,” Guerrieri said. “And I think they were able to at times really put together some good play.”

A&M fired back at the Miners as sophomore Kate Colvin found the back of the net off an assist from Macie Kolb and Pante in the 48th minute.

With a free-kick after a UTEP yellow card, forward Natalie Abel’s shot deflected off the crossbar, and freshman Maile Hayes retrieved it to hammer home an insuring goal to give the Aggies a 3-1 advantage in the 59th minute.

Both teams continued to persevere through the heat as possession was evenly matched heading into the final minutes of the contest. With no side sparking any late momentum, the Aggies cruised to another win after a late goal by Hayes in the 84th minute, her second goal of the day. 

“It felt amazing. I mean, I’ve been dreaming of this since I was a little kid,” Hayes said. “As a forward, that’s my job to score, and I was telling myself once I score one, I’ll break loose because I’ve been on a dry spell."

With three second-half goals, A&M turned up the intensity offensively after the break. 

“Just sticking to us and when it’s hot out to keep on connecting passes and eventually the goals will come,” Colvin said. “And the one thing (Guerrieri) wrote on the whiteboard was to just focus, and he thinks we did that when we came back out.”

A&M will close out the homestand Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Southern University.