Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
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UTEP
Texas Tech Withstands Late Rally to Top UTEP
August 30, 2009 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 30, 2009
LUBBOCK, Texas - Dawn Ward netted two goals, while Brittney Harrison added the game-winner in the 75th minute to lead Texas Tech to a 4-3 victory over UTEP Sunday in the finale of the Miner Classic at University Field.
The win snaps Tech's five-match losing streak to the Miners as the Red Raiders improve to 2-1 on the season, while UTEP suffered its first loss to drop to 2-1. Utah State claimed the Miner Classic title with its 3-2 victory over Stephen F. Austin earlier in the day.
"We played with great determination from the opening whistle today," Tech head coach Tom Stone said. "We knew how good UTEP is and their tremendous home record speaks for itself, so our start meant everything. We are growing as a young team, and we showed today that we could get a big win on the road on a Sunday."
Ward once again provided the early offense for Tech as the redshirt freshman's two goals give her four through three matches, including three over the weekend. Her first goal came in the 10th minute off a failed clearance by UTEP goalkeeper Sara Kaltwasser that left Ward with the open-net goal.
After UTEP tied the match four minutes later, Ward added her second goal in the 35th minute, taking the rebound from a Taylor Lytle shot off the right post to find the right-side of the net. Lytle was credited with her second assist of the season on the play.
Lytle increased Tech's lead to 3-1 just before halftime as the sophomore was able to slide the ball just past a diving Chandra Morden following a long Karen De Leon cross from the right side for her second goal of the season.
The Miners began their rally only 38 seconds into the second half as Tameka Sumter connected on her first of two goals in the match, heading a Jo Radcliffe cross past Tech goalkeeper Erin Wikelius, who played all 90 minutes in her first career start.
Following Sumter's second goal in the 65th minute, Harrison quickly put the Red Raiders back on top, heading in the game-winning goal off a Conner Williams corner kick in the 75th minute, giving Tech a quality road win early in the season. Both of Tech's victories this season have come off Harrison game-winning goals as the senior has eight over her career.
"UTEP really came after us in the second half, and I was disappointed with the two goals we gave up, but this is when we found out a lot about ourselves," Stone said. "We dug in, took back the game and Conner and Brittney sealed the deal with a great fourth goal. Brittney is building quite a resume of winning goals in her career, and this one could not have come at a better time."
Lytle led the Tech offense with four shot attempts as Tech had 13 in the match. Zhaleh Rezaie and Ward both added two shot attempts, while Williams earned her first career point with the assist on Harrison's game-winning goal.
Wikelius collected three saves in the match. Stone added that the freshman and junior Colleen Pitts will continue their month-long goalkeeper battle when practice resumes Tuesday.
The Red Raiders continue their six-match road trip next weekend, traveling to the Dallas Metroplex to face TCU Sept 4 and North Texas Sept. 6. Tech returns to the John Walker Soccer Complex Sept. 18 for the opener of the Red Raider Classic against Alabama.
