In the first home game of the season, the No. 12 Texas A&M soccer team defeated the UTSA Roadrunners 2-0 Saturday. More than 4,000 fans rallied to Ellis Field and, for seven seniors, the game served as their final home opener.
Senior defender Lindsey Witz, a transfer from Cal State Bernardino, made her first start as an Aggie Saturday. Witz said that she was thankful for
the opportunity.
Its a lot more demanding here, I like it, Witz said. Ive come a long way, it just seems like its coming all together and I get a chance to prove that I can play with these girls.
As the Aggies were getting acclimated playing on the newly renovated Ellis Field, the Roadrunners proved to be a modest challenge. In spite of the 2-0 victory, Texas A&M head soccer coach G Guerrieri said they didnt get off on the best foot.
I thought we went off to a slow start, Guerrieri said. Especially in the first 30 minutes, we were trying to do way too much. Its one of those things when you have big crowds, big full houses its exciting. It gets you going so much.
Though the Aggies fired fourteen shots off in the first half, they were held to 0-0 until the last few seconds prior to halftime.
Senior defender Lyndsey Gnatzig made a key save on goal when she ran behind sophomore goalkeeper Jordan Day with a little more than twenty minutes left in the first half. Gnatzig said this is what she prepares for in practice.
[With] Coach Wally we practice that a lot, Gnatzig said. He said just how important it was to make sure you get behind the keeper and thats what I was thinking. He was just running through my mind saying, Get behind, get behind! so I knew I should at least make an effort to try to save it.
The Aggies finally got a break late in the first half when sophomore forward Annie Kunz scored a goal with only 18 seconds left. Coach Guerrieri mentioned how important it was to score a goal right before the half.
Not long after the second half began, senior midfielder Chelsea Jones took a corner kick that connected with sophomore midfielder Meghan Streight. Streight headed the ball in the net and the Aggies took a 2-0 advantage over the Roadrunners that held until the end of the game.
The Aggies will take on No. 23 Rutgers at 7 p.m. Aug. 31 at Ellis Field.