AUSTIN, Texas – There aren’t many statistical milestones left to write on Lexi Missimo’s collegiate soccer résumé, but the senior midfielder moved closer to becoming the latest 50-goal, 50-assist student-athlete in NCAA Division I women’s soccer during Texas’ 2-0 win against Central Michigan.
Less than 17 minutes into Sunday’s action, Missimo converted her 13th consecutive – and career – penalty kick attempt that came as a result of Central Michigan’s Gabriella Sapia taking down Trinity Byars in the 6-yard box. Byars, Texas’ senior forward, was trying to send a loose ball into the back of the net after, seconds earlier, CMU goalkeeper Allison LaPoint made a save on a Hannah Waesch shot but could not gather the ball.
The goal not only moved Texas ahead of Central Michigan, 1-0, but also pushed the Southlake native’s career goal total to 47, a figure that only stood for roughly 40 minutes.
At the 56:28 mark of the second half, Ashlyn Miller gathered a loose ball that a Central Michigan defender lost following a goal kick. The senior played the ball over to freshman Rosa Maalouf, who took two dribbles in the open field before advancing the ball forward to midfielder Jilly Shimkin. Shimkin took a dribble then fired the ball ahead to Missimo, who beat the defender three steps outside the 18-yard box then went 1-on-1 with LaPoint from the left corner of the 6-yard box.
LaPoint made initial connect on Missimo’s shot, but the loose ball made connect with a Central Michigan defender as she was racing towards the goal and found its way into the back of the net for the 48th career goal of Missimo’s career to pair with her 53 career assists.
The second goal was more than enough for Texas to seal its fourth victory on the season as the Longhorn defense held Central Michigan to just one shot throughout the second half, a shot that came with 1:12 remaining in the game.
FROM HEAD COACH ANGELA KELLY
“I thought we responded well during the second half and played some of our most attractive soccer so far this season. We created 25 shots with 14 coming on goal, so there were tons of opportunity, but we have to keep on creating in those types of ways. I’m just really proud of the team and everybody who stepped on the pitch today and, obviously, Lexi Missimo for putting the ball in the back of the net when we needed it.”
MATCH NOTES
- With her 71 minutes played throughout Sunday’s match, second-year Longhorn Abby Allen has now passed 2,000 minutes played on the pitch for the Burnt Orange and White.
- Including her three-year career at UNC, Allen has now totaled 5,493:01 of time playing collegiate women’s soccer in 74 career matches.
- True freshman forward Amalia Villarreal made her first career collegiate start on Sunday afternoon.
- Villarreal, a Michigan native, played 47 minutes and had three shots on goal in three shot attempts.
- Throughout Sunday’s 90-minute match, Texas was credited with 25 shots, marking the third time this season the Longhorn offense has taken 25-or-more shots during a single match and first time since having 36 against Cal State Bakersfield on Sunday, Aug. 18.
- With Sunday’s result, Texas women’s soccer head coach Angela Kelly has now won five consecutive matches following a tie.
- A Kelly-led squad has not lost a match following a tie since Sept. 9, 2021, when the Longhorns dropped a match to Oregon, 1-0, in Austin.
- Sunday’s outcome marked the first-ever victory for the Texas women’s soccer program against Central Michigan.
UP NEXT
- Texas (4-0-1) will play its third consecutive match at Mike A. Myers Stadium when the Longhorns square off against San Diego State (1-2-1) at 6 p.m. CT on Thursday, Sept. 5.
- The Aztecs will travel to the Forty Acres having dropped its last two matches against then-No. 11 Oklahoma State (3-0) and then-No. 2 Stanford (3-1) on Aug. 31 and Aug. 22, respectively.
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