Alex Kerr's late goal ensures Texas Tech soccer advances to 2nd round of NCAA Tournament
For anybody wondering what you do after helping the Texas Rangers win the World Series, Josh Jung provided the answer Friday night.
You go see the Texas Tech soccer team.
Jung was just one of 1,810 in attendance at the John Walker Soccer Complex — whose namesake was also in the house — for the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Those who braved the cold and rain were treated to a defensive slugfest for nearly 80 minutes.
Florida Gulf Coast freshman goalkeeper Olivia Molina was a steel trap, thwarting just about every one of the Red Raiders' 26 shots — 18 of which came in the second half. It was the one that got by her that separated the two teams.
On the play in question, Giselle Kozarski knew that forward Alex Kerr was on top, so she had to get there as well. Finding the gap, Kozarski heard Kerr scream for the ball, so Kozarski placed the pass in perfect position.
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Kerr took the ball into the box, fired a shot into the corner of the goal and scored the game-winner to give Texas Tech a 1-0 victory over the Eagles.
"I knew it was just one touch ball in and it was on goal," Kerr said. "It was a really good find."
Knotted 0-0 at halftime, the Red Raiders (16-1-4) came out with more aggression in the second half. Molina's glue-like hands kept them off the scoreboard as long as she could until Kozarski and Kerr hooked up for the decisive goal — which Peyton Parsons also earned an assist on.
"We thought we unraveled a touch at the end of the first half," Texas Tech coach Tom Stone said, "like a little bit of frustration set in. And then we got a little bit off script and we're like no, no. Back. Back on script."
Stone said the team was hoping for a little more cushion down the home stretch, but that's the nature of postseason soccer.
"It's how these games go," Stone said. "Thankfully we were on the winning end of it."
The win ensures Texas Tech will host the second and third rounds of the NCAA Tournament as well. Princeton knocked off Michigan in another 1-0 game on Friday to advance, so it'll be the Tigers against the Red Raiders Friday in Lubbock.
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The winner of that contest will face either North Carolina or Alabama on Sunday in the Sweet 16. Tech will host the third round regardless of Friday's result against Princeton.
"We are going to put on our party dress and our red carpet and we're gonna fly the Goodyear blimp over this town if we have to to welcome them here," Stone said of the teams coming to Lubbock. "Such storied programs and athletic departments. Deserve the royal treatment and Texas Tech is gonna give it to them and hope that it's just a great weekend."
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Kerr's late goal ensures Texas Tech soccer advances in NCAA Tournament
