Zdrojewski’s late winner pushes No. 6 Tech past UTSA, 2-1

Friday, November 14

Lubbock, Texas

6 p.m.

Texas Tech Athletics

14-2-4, 7-1-3

UTSA

10-6-6, 4-3-3

UTSA

Texas Tech

Zdrojewski’s late winner pushes No. 6 Tech past UTSA, 2-1

November 15, 2025 | Women's Soccer

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The Red Raiders won their third-straight NCAA opening round match and will face UNC on Thursday in Fort Worth

By: Andrew Stern

LUBBOCK, Texas – Taylor Zdrojewski's late strike and an early first half goal from Peyton Parsons pushed sixth-seeded Texas Tech Soccer past UTSA, 2-1 Friday night at a packed John Walker Soccer Complex.

Up 1-0 at the break, Texas Tech (14-2-4) got the late winner from Zdrojewski to win its third-straight opening round NCAA Tournament match and to improve to 8-1-1 (the one tie was a PK advancement against Pepperdine) overall in the NCAA First Round and to 8-0-1 (advanced in all nine home matches) all-time at Fort Walker in the postseason.

In what likely will be the Red Raiders final home match of the season, Tech got off to a flying start nearly scoring in first 30 seconds of the match, when a knuckling Sam Courtwright shot was punched high of the net by UTSAs (10-6-6) Jasmine Kessler. The goalie had six saves and scored the equalizer off a freekick for the Roadrunners in the 61st minute.

As has been a staple for the Red Raider squad the last three seasons, Tech scored early in the first half when a short corner played by Courtwright fell to Tech's all-time leading assister, Macy Blackburn. Needing just one helper to break the all-time single season assist record, Blackburn served her fellow senior Peyton Parsons, who ripped a wicked shot that went right through the hands of Kessler and into the back of the net.

The assist was Blackburn's 46th all-time and her 13th of the season, pushing her out of a tie with Alli Murphy and into the top of the single-season record book.

Looking to give her side the ever-important two-goal lead, Parsons nearly came through in the 33rd minute when a perfect combination play with fellow Coloradoan Molly Skurcesnski resulted in a near-post on target shot that was scooped up by Kesser.

Parsons shot was the final of the first half for the Red Raiders who after outshooting UTSA 10-4 in the opening period took the 1-0 lead into the break.

After halftime, Zdrojewski nearly doubled the lead in the 47th minute when she sliced through the Roadrunner defense and ripped a shot that was turned away by a UTSA defender for a team save.

In the 52nd minute, Blackburn nearly added her fifth goal of her fifth and final season as a Red Raider when her rising shot down the right side was punched off the crossbar by Kessler. The sequence was made possible by another dynamic run and pass from Skurcesnki.

Less than three minutes after the Blackburn shot was saved off the cross-bar, the Red Raiders hit the post, when a rocket from Zdrojewski beat the UTSA goalie before clanging off the right post.

Just a matter of moments later and with just 16 seconds left in the 57th minute, it was Faith Nguyen's turn to make a big save, as the keeper snagged a low one-timed shot off the left foot of Zoe May that had eyes for the back of the net.

In the 60th minute after a foul just inside midfield was whistled on the Red Raiders, the UTSA goalie, Kessler ran forward and uncorked a rising ball that whizzed into the top-left corner of the net for the equalizer for UTSA.

Not panicking with the game tied once again, the Red Raiders kept their head down and kept pushing for the go-ahead goal. In the 66th, the elusive second goal again nearly arrived when a low linedrive shot on target and destined for the bottom left corner of the net was saved by Kessler. The rebound spilled out and nearly found the foot of a streaking Raliegh Greason before it was cleared out by a UTSA defender for a corner.

Midway through the 77th minute, the Red Raiders finally found the important second goal when Parsons sliced through the UTSA midfield and slipped her fellow midfielder who played Zdrojewski who after finding herself back to goal, took three touches and uncorked a right-footed rocket that soared past a defenseless Kessler and into the net.

The game-winner was her seventh of the season, tying the forward with former teammate Ashleigh Williams (2023) for the most winning goals in a season in program history. The strike was also the Celina native's 16th of the season, pushing her into a tie with Kirsten Davis for the third-most goals in a single season in program history.

Zdrojewski needs just one more strike to tie recent Texas Tech Hall of Fame selection Janine Beckie for second on the single season goal list and two more goals to tie Kristy Frantz for the most goals in a single season in program history.

With two goals in the win, the Red Raiders improve to 47-0-1 in their last 48 matches when scoring twice and have won 26-straight matches when scoring twice.

HEAD COACH TOM STONE:
"First we need to give credit to UTSA for the season they had, the championship they won and the matter in which they came in here. They came in here to win. They didn't sit back and be a sacrificial team. They came in with a good gameplan to win and when they equalized they probably thought they could win. And rightfully so. That coaching staff has done a great job and we love Kam Kloza their center back and captain. They deserve a lot of credit for the year they had and for winning their conference, beating Memphis and coming here and playing so well was amazing. We were fortunate that we also played really well and at times our possession was as smooth and quick and sharp as it has been all year. And that got us out of some pressing jams. And then we were able to get Peyton and Z the ball. When you feed your best players the ball in the final third good things usually happen, and I would say that's how most of our best chances came, from good possession."

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders return to action on Thursday [time to be determined] for the NCAA Round of 32 in Forth Wort against North Carolina, the defending NCAA Soccer National Champions.

The matchup will be the second between the two schools in the last three seasons. UNC took the first meeting in the NCAA Round of 16 in Lubbock in 2023 by a score of 1-0.