No. 18 Texas A&M soccer fell 3-1 to No. 8 Arkansas Friday at Ellis Field.
A&M’s starting goalie Shantel Hutton was carted off the field after sustaining a head injury on a block attempt in the 65th minute. Redshirt freshman Jordan Burbank filled in for the rest of the night, and did not allow any goals throughout the end of the game.
A&M coach G Guerrieri said Arkansas was a challenge for the Aggies, but he was proud of their ability to bounce back after the injury to Hutton.
“Arkansas brought the fight and I was pleased with they way they battled. They scored goals the way Arkansas score goals. They’re dangerous on set pieces and they scored on two set pieces.” said Guerrieri. “I thought our players did a good job of playing themselves back into it after the initial shock of what happened to Shan.”
Arkansas led in time of possession and shots on goal for the half, taking an early lead with a goal in the 22nd minute; however, the Aggies led in shots with 19 to Arkansas’ 15.
The Aggies’ only goal of the game came in the 37th minute after forward Ally Watt was fouled inside the tackle box. Jimena Lopez equalized the matchup with a penalty kick to head into halftime tied.
The Razorbacks kept up their aggressive defense with a foul two minutes into the second half. A&M was not deterred as it had five shots on within the first five minutes. This led to a fast break opportunity in the 51’ minute that Arkansas senior Tori Cantana capitalized on for the Razorbacks’ lead.
A&M senior defender Briana Alston said the Razorbacks’ defense unique and the Aggies have learned from the game.
“We knew Arkansas was going to be a tough team,” Alston said. “They play soccer unlike any other team. It’s more kickball, so it’s hard for a possession team, but we learned to be aggressive, win every tackle and give 100 percent the entire game.”
Arkansas was able to build momentum off its second goal with another in the 55th minute from freshman Parker Goins for the win.
The Aggies continue action in Nashville against Vanderbilt on Oct. 24 in the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex. The game will be aired on ESPNU with kickoff set for 4 p.m.