Tom Stone Collects Win 200 as Tech Routs ORU, 5-0
LUBBOCK, Texas – Peyton Parsons added her sixth and seventh goals of the season, while Macy Blackburn moved to within a singular assist of tying Taylor Lytle’s program record, as Texas Tech Soccer rolled past ORU 5-0, Sunday afternoon at the John Walker Soccer Complex.
Not to be lost in the victory, were a pair of strong goals from junior Kaitlyn Giametta and freshman Alana Harry and three key saves from goalkeeper Sydney O’billovich.
With the win, Texas Tech (4-2) increased its regular season home winning streak to 16 straight matches, recorded its 10th straight home regular season shutout and coach Tom Stone recorded his 200th all-time victory.
After a physical start resulted in the first of three yellow cards on the afternoon when former Red Raider and ORU (1-4-1) midfielder Carty Kingsbury was booked in the 22nd minute, ORU nearly struck first in the 24th minute, when Audrey Weir ripped a rising shot that O’billovich was able to punch high for a strong save.
Looking to seize back momentum, the Red Raiders did just that, when a dangerous three-minute sequence ended in a penalty kick attempt, when Taylor Zdrojewski was taken out in the ORU box. Zdrojewski who was flashing across goal in the hopes of tracking down a beautiful cross from Harry, was ultimately decleated before the ball arrived.
As she has twice already this season, Parson stepped to the spot for the Red Raiders and buried a low rocket into the right-hand corner of the net and past a diving Alexa Riefer.
The goal was Parsons’ seventh of the season, and gave Tech a 1-0 lead 19 seconds left in the 32nd minute.
With the lid off the goal lifted, the Red Raiders tallied two more goals to take a 3-0 lead into the break.
The first of the two goals, came off a beautiful sequence from Giametta, who ripped a shot that punched out by Riefer. The rebounded fell right back to Giametta, who one-timed a low shot by Riefer. The sequence was made possible by a beautiful run by Elise Anderson who delivered a perfect cross to Zdrojewski who back-heeled a perfect pass to Giametta.
With just over four minutes until half, the Red Raiders quickly made it 3-0 just 42 seconds later when Anderson hit Jill Martinez, who threaded a perfect through ball that found the left foot of Harry. With just Riefer to beat, Harry dribbled once to her left before depositing her second goal of the season.
Armed with a 3-0 lead after the late first half onslaught, the Red Raiders found the fourth goal of the afternoon when a perfect cross from Blackburn was redirected by Zdrojewski and into the back of the net. The goal was Zdrojewski’s fifth of the season.
Looking for one last knock out punch, Parsons provided the honors, burying a deflected shot from Kate Liebel for her fifth goal of the week.
The goal, which came 40 seconds into the 58th minute, proved to be all Tech would need on Sunday, as the Red Raider closed out the 5-0 win, the 58th consecutive victory the Red Raiders have recorded when scoring three or more goals.
HC TOM STONE:
Stone on winning his 200th game:
“I didn’t know it was today honestly so when they said it, I was like ‘Ok great I am glad we got that out of the way’. The truth of it is, looking back, I think of the journey and all the players. All the older coaches say it’s not about the games it’s about the relationships you build with your players. When you are young you are like ‘Heck to that! It’s about the games!’ When you get older you realize it really is the relationships. Players like Taylor Lytle who is going in the hall of fame this year, our first super star, and then all the players that were before her, during her time, and after her. Then our first championship team, our first Sweet Sixteen team, and teams that were good enough to do great things even though they did not get the chance to show it. So looking back its all the people we have had here, and we have had amazing student athletes on this team. Anyone will tell you if you can’t get them to come to Tech you are not going to win. It all starts with recruiting and our town, and our university and our athletic department is a big draw but in the end the players and the staff have to sell them on ‘Hey this is the place for you.’ We have been fortunate enough to have a lot of tremendous players and great students have picked us. So that’s really what I look back on more than anything. It has been great to be here for 18 years, and I am looking forward to a bunch more.”
UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders close a three-match homestand and non-conference play on Thursday night against Oregon. First touch from the John Walker Soccer Complex is set for 7 p.m
Release provided by Andrew Stern Texas Tech Athletics