LUBBOCK - No. 15 Texas Tech scored two goals on six shots taken within the first 17 minutes en route to a 3-1 victory over Abilene Christian on a breezy Sunday afternoon at the Walker Soccer Complex.
The Red Raiders improved to 4-1-1 with the win, while the Wildcats slipped to 1-4-1.
Texas Tech outshot the Wildcats 15-3 in the first half and 20-7 for the match, led by Jade King who placed three of her eight shots on frame in 81 minutes on the pitch. King put her side ahead 1-0 in the ninth minute, and less than 10 minutes later, Rebekah O'Brien assisted on Cassie Borren's first goal of the season.
King's goal was her third of the fall.
ACU head coach
Casey Wilson believed the wind was a factor in Texas Tech's fast start.
"Tech won the coin flip and got the directional wind (15mph) behind them, which is tough to deal with no matter who you are playing," he said. "Their first goal was a result of one of our unforced errors and second goal was on a set piece as a result of a foul. Those two errors hurt."
ACU held the Red Raiders scoreless for the rest of the half, but couldn't get off its first shot until the 33rd minute when senior
Leslie Snider had her attempt saved by Lauren Watson. Freshman
Brooke Lenz then missed high and Watson stopped a shot off the foot of freshman
Samantha Vestal in the 44th minute.
Texas Tech made it a 3-0 game on the first play of the second half when Jordie Harr assisted on a Gwennie Puente goal, and following a Red Raider foul, Snider - with an assist from
Chloe Fifer - got the Wildcats back within two with her first goal of the season. The Wildcats, however, would attempt only three more shots for the remainder of the contest with two saved by Watson, and another blocked in the 85th minute that led to ACU's lone corner kick.
Texas Tech had eight corner kicks with two of those coming in the second half.
"We had a good run of play in the second half with the wind," said Wilson. "We had our share of chances and were able to just put one in. We didn't quit and put together a decent second half against the No. 15 team in the country."
Senior
Kelsey Dombrowski started for the Wildcats for the second time this year and first since the season opener vs. UTSA. She finished the match with four saves, all of which came in the first half.
The Wildcats conclude non-conference play next weekend with road matches Friday at Oklahoma State and Sunday at SMU. ACU begins its Southland Conference slate Saturday, September 17 at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
