After practicing together as a team for only a week and a half, the Texas A&M men’s club soccer team eked out a 1-0 win over Rice during a windy Sept. 6 match at the Penberthy Rec Sports Complex.

The Aggies kicked off the 2024-2025 season after closing the fall 2023 season 4-1-2 to finish second in National Intramural & Recreation Sports Association Region IV. The Maroon and White played a calm first half, building their confidence with the ball. Both teams played a more aggressive pace with more pressure in the second half, including multiple yellow cards on both sides.

The Owls kept the Aggies out of midfield, making them push the ball down the sidelines. The A&M fullbacks had a strong defense throughout the game, allowing few opportunities for Rices to challenge A&M’s goalkeeper.

With a cross pass to the center in the 11th minute, sophomore forward Ryder Brock fired a shot past Rice’s goalkeeper into the net to score the game’s only goal.

“It was electric, being the first game and everything,” Brock said. “It was cool being the first goal to start off the season right.”

Shooting opportunities had the crowd straightening its neck and holding its breath, especially in the 49th minute, when graduate striker Greysen Golgert had a quick and clear shot on goal that was impressively stopped by Rice’s goalkeeper.

The team had three objectives heading into the season’s first game, captain Golgert said: To calm their nerves, have fun and win the game.

“We accomplished all three things,” Golgert said. “We are feeling great. For the rest of the season, we just want to take away the fact that we can grow as a team going forward. It’s a bit early in the season to be having such a great game against a regionals-quality team. Rice is great.”

Laura McClintock is a journalism senior and contributed this story from the course JOUR 359, Reporting Sports, to The Battalion.