COLUMBIA, Missouri – The Texas A&M Aggies’ scored three goals after going one player down in the 57th minute to secure a 5-1 victory over the Missouri Tigers Sunday evening at Walton Soccer Stadium.
Texas A&M forwards Haley Pounds and Ally Watt dictated terms throughout the match, each accounting for four points. Pounds logged two goals while Watt chipped in with one goal and two assists. Addie McCain added two assists and Mikaela Harvey and Cienna Arrieta each notched a goal.
The Maroon and White were nursing a 2-1 lead when defender Brian Alston was issued her second card of the match with 33:56 left in the match. Rather than folding in the match’s waning moments, the Aggies stepped up the intensity to win going away.
Watt scored the Aggies’ first short-handed goal in the 61st minute. The speedy Colorado Springs, Colo., native took a clearance from Harvey and weaved through traffic down the inside right channel before unleashing a shot from the corner of the six-yard box. The blast caromed off Mizzou defender and past the keeper for the 3-1 edge.
The Aggies created more breathing room in the 69th minute. A bad clearance by Tigers’ backup goalkeeper Kristen Rivers came out to McCain 15 yards out in the inside right channel. McCain used just one touch to bounce a cross to Mikaela Harvey eight yards out in the left channel and the senior captain put it into the back netting with a half volley to the left of a sprawling Rivers.
Arrieta put the dagger in 81st minute. After Rheagen Smith was taken down to the right of the penalty arc, Arrieta lined up for the free kick from 20 yards. The sophomore from El Paso buzzed the tower on the Mizzou wall and sent her missile off the right post for her third tally of the season.
Texas A&M (6-2-1, 2-1-0 SEC) found the ice breaker in the 11th minute with Watt serving as the catalyst, dribbling into the right corner of the penalty box before uncorking a shot outside the six-yard box. Starting Mizzou goalkeeper Kelsey Dossey deflected the shot across the face of the goal where Haley Pounds came in from the left side to clean it up for her third goal of the season.
The Aggies had tremendous buildup on Pounds’ second goal. After a handful of passes the ball found its way to Harvey near the center circle. She poked a pass to McCain camped out to the right of the circle. McCain running down the inside right channel 40 yards out. McCain sent a long ball down the inside right channel to Watt. After two touches, Watt sent a ball in from the right corner of the 18-yard box where Pounds finished with a header from the PK spot, slotting it between the goalkeeper and the right post.
Missouri (5-6-1, 1-2-0 SEC) cut the lead to 2-1 early in the second half when Kaitlyn Clark scored from 18 yards in the 55thminutes.
Despite playing one player down for over one-third of the match, the Aggies owned overwhelming edges in shots (21-12) and shots-on-goal (11-4) and owned a 7-5 advantage in corner kicks.
The Maroon and White return to action Friday when they host the Arkansas Razorbacks in a 7 p.m. contest at Ellis Field.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics