Texans win 1st conference tournament match in program history, use consecutive 2nd half goals to defeat Govs

CONWAY, Ark. — Tarleton State is headed to the UAC Women’s Soccer Championship semifinals.

The 2-seed Texans (8-3-9, 4-1-2 UAC) used consecutive second half goals to defeat the 3-seed Austin Peay Governors (2-15-3, 1-7-2) 2-1 in the first round of the UAC Women’s Soccer Championship on Sunday.

After a scoreless first half, the Govs struck first with an Abby Matthews goal in the 56th minute at the Bill Stephens Complex in Conway, Arkansas, at the postseason conference tournament hosted by Central Arkansas. Tarleton State’s Zahra Friess answered her quickly with a goal in the 63rd minute to tie the match back up, then Adelaide Wyrzynski netted the go-ahead goal in the 79th minute to boost the Texans to victory

This marks Tarleton State’s first postseason conference tournament win in program history, in the Texans’ second ever appearance (2024). The Texans defeated the Governors for the second time in as many matches this year, winning 3-1 in Clarksville, Tennessee, on Oct. 8.

Now the Texans have advanced to the semifinals, where they will face 1-seed Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Tarleton State defeated EKU 2-0 on Oct. 15 in Stephenville, Texas, in a rain-filled match at the Tarleton State Soccer Complex. The winner of Wednesday’s match will advance to the championship and face either 1-seed Abilene Christian or 2-seed North Alabama on Saturday.

On Sunday, the Texans had the advantage in most categories, outshooting the Govs 20-8 with a 9-3 shots on goal lead. The Texans also had seven corner kicks to Austin Peay’s one, but Tarleton State was called for 12 fouls to the Govs’ four.

Rylie Bloomfield played all 90 minutes in net for the Purple and White, earning two saves with the one goal allowed. Austin Peay’s Megan Waskiewicz also played all 90 minutes in the box, recording seven saves with two goals allowed.

The Texans played their starting 11 nearly the full match, with just two subs – Victoria Lucksinger at 38 minutes and Naomi Langille at five minutes. Bloomfield, Zoe Daly, Zoe Ballard, Wyrzynski, Jessica Baires, Peyton Bryant, Grace Berry and Isa Bergeron-Prejean played the entire match.

Baires and Bryant had assists on Wyrzynski’s goal. Wyrzynski had a team-high six shots, and a tied-team-high three shots on goal, along with Friess.

The Texans and Colonels will next clash in the semifinals. The match will be streamed on ESPN+, and there is free admission for the match in Conway.