No. 18 Texas Tech Delivers Start-to-Finish Win over Oklahoma State Ahead of Kansas Rematch
From the opening touch to the final horn, in a very physical match, No. 18 Texas Tech put together one of its most complete performances of the season. The Red Raiders scored two goals in each half, controlled possession and never let Oklahoma State settle in on their way to a 4–0 victory Thursday night at the John Walker Soccer Complex.
“I think that’s a good way you put it – start to finish,” Tech head coach Tom Stone said postgame. “We were a 90-minute team tonight. Over the course of the entire game I think that we were on top of it and doing all the things that we had hoped we could do.”
Texas Tech Stat Leaders
Macy Blackburn – 2 shots, 2 shots on goal, 1 goal, 1 assist, 58 min
Sam Courtwright – 2 shots, 1 shot on goal, 2 assists, 54 min
Peyton Parsons – 2 shots, 1 shot on goal, 1 goal, 59 min
Taylor Zdrojewski – 3 shots, 1 shot on goal, 1 goal, 54 min
Faith Nguyen – 0 goals allowed, 1 save, 90 min
How It Happened
The breakthrough came mid-way through the first half….in style. Peyton Parsons took a quick restart off a foul near the top of the box, squared up her defender, juking her into delirium before sliding the ball past the keeper for a brilliant opener. Moments later, a free kick opportunity doubled the advantage as Sam Courtwright’s driven strike forced a save from the Oklahoma State keeper that bounced off her hands and Macy Blackburn reacted first to smash home the rebound.
“Sam and Peyton have been key for us in that area,” Stone said. “If they’re on their game and we’re holding the ball that high up the field, it kind of sets everything else in motion… and we’ve been set and played through them the last two games. That’s been fun to watch.”
For Parsons and Courtwright, the goals were a reward for a high ceiling partnership that has been steadily developing after the latter missed last season injured.
“We struggled for a little stretch of games to get goals that weren’t from PKs or corner kicks,” Parsons said. “But I think we’ve started to progress and take shots and take chances and just be brave, so it’s paying off.”
Brave indeed as Texas Tech outshot OSU 20-3 with 9 of those shots coming on goal for the Red Raiders on their way to their largest Big 12 win since Tech beat Oklahoma 7-0 in 2021. SHOOOOOTERS SHOOOT!
“I think we’re also working on our connection together, like eight to eight connection,” Courtwright followed up on the chemistry with Parsons and the front attacking group as a whole. “And then also using the forwards and getting bounces off of them and getting layoffs off of them in order to find more shots. And just the more we shoot, the more we score, so we’re working on that too.”
After halftime, the Red Raiders continued to press their advantage. Texas Tech’s leading goal scorer Taylor Zdrojewski extended the lead to 3–0 with a calm, cold-blooded strike, showing off the quick release that has helped her to eight goals already this season.
“Taylor is one of the best finishers that we’ve ever had,” Stone said. “She just has that ability to strike the ball and it’s on frame and dangerous right away. You give her a look in the box, and it’s going to be trouble for the other team.”
With the game well in hand a number of game changing subs were put in to the game for the Red Raiders and one was rewarded with her first career goal. Sophomore Millie Elwood arguably elicited the loudest roar from the crowd all night when she stole a pass from the Cowgirls keeper, carried forward and finished backside.
“I’ve been wanting it [first goal] for a while,” Elwood said with a grin after the game. “So when I saw the keeper play that I knew I just had to step in front and then I had a lot of time to drive. And then, yeah, it was my chance to finish.”
Her head coach Tom Stone said watching her finally score was one of the highlights of the night.
“Thrilling, thrilling because she loves Tech so much. She’s such a personality on our team… to see her have that kind of success. Stealing the ball, carrying it in, finishing it and her celebration was awesome. She was just pure joy. The whole team went nuts.”
As impressive as the attack was, Tech’s defense ensured the result was never in doubt. The Red Raiders dominated possession and held Oklahoma State to just three total shots, only one of which was on goal when Faith Nguyen did what Faith Nguyen does to keep OSU off the board.
Parsons and Courtwright both were quick to credit the play at the back as well as the way their control up top protected the defense.
“Our defense has been rock solid, huge shout out to them,” Parsons said. “They were calm and collected in the back and we can’t get goals if we aren’t playing it out of the back. But we’re really excited about our defensive backline and what they’ve been doing.”
Courtwright added that their style of play made the difference.
“Attacking is our best form of defense,” she said. “So if we don’t give the ball away, they’re not getting shots off. The only three shots they had, I think, were off turnovers.”
Next Up: Home Versus Kansas Sunday 9/4, 1 PM
The win moved Texas Tech to 9-1-1 overall and 3-0-1 in Big 12 play, propelling them into a tie with Colorado atop the Big 12 standings. Next up is Kansas on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Lubbock, a rematch of last year’s Big 12 Tournament defeat that the Red Raiders haven’t forgotten.
“A chip is definitely on our shoulder for Kansas,” the senior Parsons said honestly. “We’re coming back at them for last year, so we’re ready to go and we’re really excited to get after them.”
Tom Stone echoed her words.
“You don’t want to get above your skis but sure we haven’t forgotten it and I’m sure they have confidence because they won it,” he said. “So it helps them, it hurts us, or it can help us. But it’s two days to get rested, recovered and ready to go. Again, we’re just glad we’re home.”
First touch at 1 pm at the John Walker Soccer Complex in Lubbock. BE THERE!
Game will be streamed on ESPN+.
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