Match #6: Texas A&M 0, Stephen F. Austin 0
Records: Texas A&M (3-0-3, 0-0-0), Stephen F. Austin (1-2-3, 0-0-0)
Box Score
Thursday was balanced.
Season is back in session.
In Texas A&M’s first road trip to Nacogdoches, the Aggies and Stephen F. Austin were level at 0-0 on Thursday night. As the scoreline might indicate, the Aggies stayed stagnant for 90 minutes away from Ellis Field.
At the start of the match, the Maroon & White were in a 4-4-2 formation, while the Lumberjacks were also in a 4-4-2. With the same type of shape on display, the mentality for the Aggies was to hard press, which utilized their style of play of constant attack and playing man-on.
Contrarily, the Lumberjacks attempted to space out, which utilized their style of play that centered around the long ball and drop back.
The match started slowly with no goals being scored by either team, and it stayed slow throughout the first 45 minutes.
In the ninth minute, SFA’s Alexis Miller attempted to take a shot to put the Lumberjacks on top, but it was denied as goalkeeper Sydney Fuller made the save to keep the affair scoreless. It was the first of four saves for Fuller.
Eleven minutes later, forward Kaylee Noble shot at the top center of the net, but it was saved by SFA goalkeeper Sierra McCluer.
In total, the Aggies would attempt 25 shots with eight being on target. However, they never solved the puzzle that was McCluer.
At halftime, the Aggie attack had taken 10 total shots. For the Aggie defense, there were six shots taken against them.
The second 45 minutes consisted of the same mentality of hard press, which applied constant attack and man-on. Meanwhile, the A&M defense deployed the dropback.
On the other hand, the second half for the Lumberjacks consisted of the same mentality, which applied long ball and drop back, in hopes of winning the game.
Five minutes was all it took for some action to take place as Noble tried again to put the Aggies up 1-0 with a top right of the net shot, but it was saved by McCluer.
In the 57th minute, Mia Scranton took a shot at the bottom right of the net, only to be stonewalled.
After two attempts from the Aggies to score a goal, SFA’s Taylor Dodson tried to bring hope to the Lumberjacks with a shot at the top center of the net, but it was met by Fuller.
The second half ended with the Aggie attack having 15 shots and six shots on goal. For the Aggie defense, while there were three shots taken against them, only one of them required a save.
The number of attempts taken in the match led to a frustrating performance and result.
"Well, I am disappointed,” G Guerrieri said postgame. “You get 22 shots. You've got to be able to put at least three of them away. I thought we were pretty toothless in attack tonight.
“We were in control of the game. Again, they laid back and played a low block against us, which is always hard to break down."
Despite the draw, encouragement was the thing that A&M is hoping to take with them moving into this weekend.
“I don't think it was our best game,” Trinity Buchanan said. “We've got to keep our heads high and only learn from it.”
A&M will travel to Fort Worth to play No. 4 TCU on Sunday. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. CT.
