COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Freshman forward Cydne Currie scored a pair of first half goals for national power Texas A&M as she led the Aggies to a 2-0 win over the LSU soccer team in its spring season opener Saturday night at the Aggie Soccer Stadium.
The Aggies, who are the three-time defending Big 12 Conference champions and finished the 2006 season ranked No. 5 in the country according to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, took control of the match from the opening kickoff as Currie found the back of the net in the 12th and 42nd minutes of play in the first half.
Currie put Texas A&M up early in the match with a running shot past the keeper off of a low cross from teammate Allison Martino, who was streaking down the Aggie left flank. Currie added her second goal just before the half as she scored on a corner kick after redirecting a cross from midfielder Elizabeth Jones inside the penalty area and into the back of the net.
The Tigers were unable to get the ball rolling on the offensive end of the field as they managed just two shots for the match, and Texas A&M goalkeeper Kristin Arnold only needed to make one save the preserve the shutout for the Aggies. Texas A&M finished the match with 17 shots and a total of five corner kicks of their own.
“Tonight was a great learning experience for our team,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “Texas A&M plays with the perfect blend of competitive fire and creative playmaking, and they were a joy to watch tonight and very clearly deserves their place among the elite teams in women’s college soccer. That is the kind of program we want to have here at LSU in the very near future.”
The Tigers, who have now played one of their allotted five spring exhibitions dates, will break for nearly three weeks before returning to action on March 15 when they play host to in-state rivals Southeastern Louisiana and Northwestern State in a double header at the LSU Soccer Complex. Start times for both matches have yet to be determined.