No. 12 Texas Tech Throws First & Last Punch in WILD Desert Battle With Arizona State
No. 12 Texas Tech Soccer started hot in the desert — and finished even hotter — landing the first and last punch in a gritty 3–2 win over Arizona State on Thursday night. Junior forward Taylor Zdrojewski scored twice, including the game-winner in the 85th minute, as the Red Raiders showed they can take a hit, stand back up and finish the fight.
“We were outstanding in the first half and stormed out to a two-goal lead,” head coach Tom Stone said. “We knew they were going to throw everything at us in the second half — and they did — but we gritted it out and found a way to win on the road.”
The win moved Texas Tech to 11–1–2 overall and 5–0–2 in Big 12 play, moving the Red Raiders into first place with four games to go as they prepare for another road test at Arizona on Sunday.
Texas Tech Stat Leaders
Taylor Zdrojewski – 4 shots, 2 shots on goal, two goals, 84 min
Sam Courtwright – 4 shots, 2 shots on goal, 2 assist, 84 min
Molly Skurcenski – 2 shots, 1 shot on goal, 1 assist, 90 min
Macy Blackburn – SORCERY, 1 assist
How It Happened
Under the desert and Tempe airport lights, the Red Raiders wasted no time bringing the heat. Less than five minutes in, Zdrojewski opened the scoring on a composed finish at the top of the box set up by Sam Courtwright. This gave Tech an early 1–0 lead, setting the tone for a high-tempo dominant Red Raider first half.
Tech doubled its advantage in the 31st minute thanks to a moment of pure SORCERY from Macy Blackburn, who bent a low curling ball around the Sun Devil back line to the foot of Storie Sexton. The junior redirected it perfectly past the keeper for her first goal of the season, pushing the lead to 2–0. Blackburn, the assist goat that she is, could not have walked over and placed the ball on Sexton’s foot any better. Chef’s kiss.
Halftime came however and Arizona State flew out of the break with an uppercut of their own. Bringing a high press and renewed energy, the Sun Devils flipped momentum with goals from Peyton Marcisz in the 50th minute and Sierra Bergen ten minutes later to even the score.
“They came after us, they pressed us a little higher, they forced some turnovers, and at the same time, we got really hasty with the ball,” Stone said. “It was not a good possession performance for us, but it was a gutsy play-to-the-finish-line performance.”
Goalkeeper Faith Nguyen delivered clutch stops as ASU pressed for the go-ahead, keeping the game level until Zdrojewski — once again — provided the answer. Off a late build-up involving Sexton and Molly Skurcenski, she hammered home her second goal of the night and 12th of the season, sealing the 3–2 victory. An upper-90 beaut that not even a full extension attempt from the Sun Devil keeper could touch.
“We came here to get three points, not a loss, not a draw” Zdrojewski told the broadcast bluntly in the postgame. “We were on the attack and my teammates gave me good runs, and it opened up a window for me to take that shot to get us the lead.”
Z, as she is affectionately known, is fast becoming one of the best to ever do it at Texas Tech. Her head coach praised his striker’s relentlessness and the team’s toughness to finish the job even on a night it wasn’t always pretty. Winners win.
“We calmed down enough in the last ten minutes to create some real chances,” said Stone. “Get numbers in the box, get service and it gets to one of the best goal scorers we’ve had through the years, and Z did what Z does, and thankfully bailed us out because we put ourselves in a pretty deep hole.”
Next Up: AT Arizona Sunday 9/19 2PM CT ESPN U
In the end, Texas Tech out-shot Arizona State 21–10 and held 53 percent of possession. The win, while not always easy, was marked by equal parts skill and grit showing the Red Raiders’ ability to get back up and finish the fight. They turn that same attitude to a short turn around matchup with Arizona in Tuscan on Sunday. An exciting national-TV opportunity for both teams that will be broadcast on ESPN U, first touch 2PM CT.
“You’re thrilled with your team pulling off the win and scoring three goals, but you’re disappointed the two you gave up,” outlined Coach Stone. “But you turn your attention immediately to Sunday, and Arizona’s a scrappy team, really well coached. They’ve given us problems every year, so we don’t expect anything less but another really tough game on the road, this time in Tucson.“
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