Texas Tech Athletics
West Texas A&M
Tech Soccer Takes Home Opener, 3-2
September 14, 2000 | Women's Soccer
Sept. 14, 2000
LUBBOCK, Texas - Junior Melanie Brosnahan scored two goals, including the game-winner in the final 15 minutes of the match, to lead Texas Tech to a 3-2 victory over West Texas A&M in the Red Raiders home opener Thursday afternoon.
Brosnahan's goals were her first two of the season and her first two as a Red Raider (2-5), after spending her first two collegiate seasons at the University of Oklahoma.
The match was sluggish and sloppy at times, with most of the action taking place in the visitors defensive end. Tech attacked the entire match, outshooting WTAM 26-11 overall, 14-9 in shots on goal.
Brosnahan got the first goal of the match in the 26th minute, turning and shooting from just outside the six-yard box on an assist by Lindsey Wile.
The visiting Buffaloes (6-1) knotted the game at one on a goal from Sharra Mitchell just a minute later, then took a 2-1 advantage before halftime on a goal from Courtney Massie. Massie's goal was set up by a long pass from Mitchell, and Massie punished a shot over the outstretched arms of Tech keeper Brittney Peese.
But the Red Raiders came out of the locker room quickly, with Wile scoring just over a minute into the second half, heading a Brosnahan cross into the back of the net for her third goal of the season.
The next 30 minutes saw few chances for either squad, with Tech's Carrie Graham taking two good shots at WTAM keeper, but Jamie Griffis made the saves to keep the score tied at two apiece.
In the 87th minute, Brosnahan and Wile played a beautiful game of give-and-go, setting up Brosnahan to beat Griffis low and right for the game-winner and a 3-2 Tech victory.
Graham led all players with 12 shots in the game, including seven on goal. Mitchell had three of WTAM's nine shots on goal in the match.
"We will take a win. It wasn't pretty, but it was a hardfought match," Tech head coach Felix Oskam said. "I told our kids to be prepared to fight. It's a win, and that's all that counts."
Tech plays at home this Sunday at 1 p.m. against Tulsa before hitting the road to open conference play next week.
