In an offensive beatdown, Texas A&M soccer rolled through Grambling State 8-0, at Ellis Field on Thursday, Sept. 7.
The Aggies scored six unanswered goals in the first half, which beat out their previous record of five, which stood since 2006.
“They caught us on the wrong night,” coach G Guerrieri said. “This was a night where [we] played like [A&M], and finished how [A&M] teams do.”
The previous test for the Aggies resulted in a 1-0 loss to TCU, where they managed to outshoot the Horned Frogs 12-7 despite the loss.
The Maroon and White struck early in the third minute, with a goal from sophomore midfielder Georgia Leb, which was off a cross by junior forward Mia Pante. Junior midfielder Carissa Boeckmann also assisted Leb following the cross.
Fifth-year forward Sammy Smith then scored in the 28th minute off an assist by Pante and freshman defender Margo Matula, bringing the score to 2-0.
The Aggies still showed no signs of slowing down, scoring again in the 31st minute, this time off the foot of senior forward Jazmine Wilkinson, who was led behind the last defender for the low corner shot that ricocheted off the post for the goal.
However, Wilkinson wasn’t finished, as in the 35th minute, she led the offense down the sideline, laying the ball off to sophomore midfielder Sydney Beccera for the power shot and fourth goal of the night.
The Tigers received a handball foul just outside the box in the 36th minute. Beccera took the free kick for the Aggies and placed the ball in the upper-right corner for her second goal of the night, and the fifth goal in the first half.
Everyone on the Aggie offense was seemingly getting a piece of the scoring frenzy, with the next goal arriving in the 42nd minute off the assist from Smith, with senior forward Kate Colvin finding the back of the net for the final goal of the first half. The Maroon and White took a resounding 6-0 lead into halftime.
The A&M defensive line stayed mostly calm for the first 45 minutes, with the Tigers only having 2 total shots and one major offensive run.
Starting the second half, the Fightin’ Farmers’ offense kicked off at a much slower pace, with sophomore Grambling State goalie Madison Covey-Taylor pulling in seven saves.
After being awarded a free kick in the 82nd minute, Boeckmann took the shot, but it was blocked and jumbled around the box until freshman forward Taylor Jernigan landed a shot to the left of the goalkeeper for her first career goal and the Aggie offenses’ seventh of the night.
Wilkinson earned her second goal of the night late in the 88th minute, due in large part to the efforts of Boeckmann and her relentlessness on and off the ball.
“Just what the doctor ordered,” Guerrieri said. “ One of the big focuses we’ve had has been finishing our chances, we’ve created a lot of chances in every game, we’ve outshot our opponents in four of the last five matches we’ve played. Getting the ball in front of goal hasn’t been the issue, getting the ball in the back of the net has been, so putting eight in the goal tonight was what the doctor ordered.”
Next, A&M will travel to Houston to face off against Rice at Wendel D. Ley Track & Holloway Field, on Sunday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m.