COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M Aggies scored a 2-1 victory over the No. 6 Florida Gators Thursday evening at Ellis Field with the game-winner coming on Kendall Ritchie‘s first career goal.
It marked the second win of the year for the Maroon & White over a Top 25 opponent, in addition to their 5-1 victory at then-No. 19 Kansas on Sep. 10.
Ritchie scored the game-winner in the 66th minute. Taking a free kick from 45 yards out left of the center circle, the left-back sent a boomer that arced over goalkeeper Kaylan Marckese, who was playing two steps outside the six-yard box, before tucking under the crossbar.
Texas A&M (5-2-1, 1-1-0 SEC) broke the scoring seal in the 34thminute off the foot of Cienna Arrieta. Arrieta, who entered the match in the 32nd minute, received a throw-in from Emily Bates, took one touch to clear the defense and then uncorked a low, driving shot from 25 yards out right of the arc. The missile found a sliver between the left post and a diving Marckese for the ice-breaker.
The Aggies took a 1-0 lead into the intermission of an evenly contested first half. The shots were even (8-8) and the Maroon & White held slim edges in shots-on-goal (4-3) and corner kicks (2-0).
Florida (7-2-0, 1-1-0 SEC) pounced on the Aggies for an equalizer just 89 seconds into the second half. Gabby Seiler and Deanne Rose worked a two-player combo to net the goal. Seiler sent a pass from the center line to Rose just outside the offensive side of the circle. Rose played the ball back to Seiler who was on the charge. Seiler drove a ball towards the top of the penalty box and a race ensued between three Aggie defenders, goalkeeper Cosette Morché and a sprinting Rose. Rose won the race flicking a shot off the first bounce over Morché at the penalty spot. The volley took one bounce before finding the goal.
Texas A&M was unlucky on two occasions with Ally Watt hitting the crossbar from 15 yards out in the 25th minute. In the second half, Stephanie Malherbe blasted a shot from 20 that hit the wrong side of the left post.
Morché logged four saves in goal for the Aggies with her biggest coming in the 37th minute when she stonewalled a shot by Melanie Monteagudo from seven yards out.
The victory gave the Aggies’ a 7-6 edge in the all-time series against their intersectional rivalry.
Texas A&M returns to action Sunday when they travel to Columbia for a 5:05 p.m. contest against the Missouri Tigers.
TEXAS A&M QUOTES
Head Coach G Guerrieri
Thoughts on the match…
“We had a couple of quality goals from long distance. First, Cienna (Arrieta) from about 30 yards and then Kendall’s from around 40 yards if not further. They both were fantastic goals. Kendall looked up and saw the keeper taking a few steps forward and she just smashed it into the upper corner which was awesome.”
On getting a big home win…
“We’ve been good enough to beat everyone. We’ve played some teams who’ve scored some great goals against us, but we’ve just missed a lot of chances. Leave it to our players to save our best goals for arguably the best team on our schedule. Florida doesn’t give you anything cheap. You are going to have to earn everything against them. They have a history of scoring late goals and coming from behind. So, I’m pleased with the discipline from the team tonight.”
Sophomore Midfielder Cienna Arrieta
On scoring a goal just two minutes after entering the match as a substitute…
“When I came in, they said to get a goal in. We’re up against the number one team in the SEC, so you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do and follow the coaches’ orders. It was just a surreal feeling.”
On playing forward tonight…
“Usually I am a midfielder, but I think it was one of those moments where they just needed some fresh legs. Everyone works their butt off, so they just thought to throw the players in where we need them, so that was the game plan there.”
Junior defender Kendall Ritchie
On her goal tonight…
“Originally I was going to cross it because we have worked on set pieces and aiming it for a certain spot on the backside. I saw that the goal keeper was about 6-7 feet off the line so I figured she was going to try to come out. I just tried to rip it over her and luckily it dipped there at the end.”
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics