AUSTIN, Texas — With only one win against a top-15 ranked opponent in the program’s history, the LSU soccer team (5-1-1) came within minutes of accomplishing the feat for a second time. However, the Tigers fell to No. 11 Texas, 4-3, in overtime at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas.
“We put the No. 11 team in the country on the ring ropes tonight going to overtime, which was our second in three days and I am very proud of our players,” said LSU head coach George Fotopoulos. “Two years ago, we got trounced 4-0 and came back here tonight and played well and earned a lot of respect from Texas and in the soccer community.”
“We are still some players away, we are a building program,” said Fotopoulos. “To come in here against a team like Texas against the players we have and fight the way we fought, I am very proud of our girls. We cannot dwell on this game though because we have to move on and get ready for ULL.”
Kelly McDonald scored her second goal of the game less than a minute into overtime, scoring on a pass from Nicole Breger to give the Longhorns a 4-3 victory. The goal was the 29th of McDonald’s career. Texas improved to 4-2 on the season while LSU dropped its first decision of the season.
The two teams looked sluggish in the beginning of the game after both the Tigers and Longhorns played double-overtime matches on Friday. Texas finally broke the ice at the 8:53 mark of the first half as junior forward Kelly McDonald scored on an assist from Kelly Wilson to take a 1-0 lead.
McDonald notched her fourth goal of the season, and 28th of her career, making her the Longhorns’ all-time leader in that category.
The Tigers dodged several Texas scoring chances roughly three minutes later as Wilson and teammate Priscilla Fite each had clear shots at the goal but LSU goalkeeper Robyn DesOrmeaux recorded two saves. Just seconds later McDonald missed wide left on another golden opportunity for the Longhorns. Texas would take an 11-3 advantage in shots on goal into halftime but mustered only one score.
LSU tied the game in the 15th minute of the first half as senior midfielder Stephanie Keating scored on a free kick, knocking the ball into the back left corner of the net past Texas GK Dana Hall. LSU freshman Stacy Bishop was fouled just inside the penalty area by Longhorn defender Julie Gailey, who was given a yellow card on the play.
The Tigers took the lead at the 27:42 mark as Bishop scored her team-leading 10th goal. Keating received the ball from Rachel Cohen and sent a pass to Bishop from the left post and Bishop scored in the right side of the net from just a few yards out. Keating and Cohen were each credited with an assist and tied former teammate Ashley Mitnick for the school record in assists with 19.
Junior forward Artie Brown put the Tigers up 3-1 in the 35th minute as she deflected the ball off Longhorn goalkeeper Dana Hall into the right corner of the net. LSU took only five shots in the first half but scored on three.
The Tigers just missed scoring their fourth goal mere minutes into the second period as freshman Jordan Parker missed by inches on an empty net as Longhorn goalkeeper Dana Hall was caught out of position.
The Longhorns cut LSU’s lead to 3-2 when freshman midfielder Carrie Schmit headed in a shot from teammate Nicole Breger on a corner kick in the 59th minute. Texas tied the match at 3-3 with just over 29 minutes remaining as Fite scored her third goal of the year with assists credited to McDonald and Amy Burlingham. Fite scored on a deflected header past DesOrmeaux into the right corner of the goal.
Artie Brown missed a chance to put the Tigers ahead as she had a one-on-one situation with Texas goalkeeper Dana Hall on a breakaway with eight and a half minutes to play, but Hall saved Brown’s scoring attempt to keep the game tied.
The Longhorns outshot LSU, 33-8, and held the Tigers without a corner kick.
Texas had a chance to score the game-winning goal with just 10 seconds left in the match when Nicole Breger had a corner kick, but the kick was knocked out by the Tiger defense and the game moved into overtime.
The Tigers will next be in action against UL-Lafayette on Friday in Lafayette, La., and then travel to Hammond, La., to face Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday, Sept. 21. LSU will open conference play at Kentucky on Oct. 3 in Lexington, Ky.