Williams and Kerr Power Tech Past New Mexico State, 5-0

LUBBOCK, Texas – Powered by a strong crowd of over one thousand and in the first game on the new natural grass surface, the Texas Tech Red Raiders rolled past New Mexico State, 5-0, Sunday night at the John Walker Soccer Complex.

In the victory, the Red Raiders received a pair of goals from forwards Alex Kerr and Ashleigh Williams and a penalty kick goal from Preseason All-Big 12 selection Hannah Anderson.

For the second straight match, Elise Anderson was strong off the bench, recording a pair of assists.

Unlike the New Mexico match on Thursday where Texas Tech (1-0-1) dominated the ball early without finding the net, Williams flipped the script, finding the back of the net in the 15th minute after center back Cassie Taylor found a streaking Macy Blackburn who swung the ball into Williams.

Running down the rightside, Blackburn crossed a perfect ball into the back by the far post. Williams calmly tracked the ball down and deposited it into the wide-open net.

The goal gave Tech an early 1-0 lead.

Less than 15 minutes later, the Red Raiders quickly doubled their lead, as this time Elise Anderson led the charge. After taking a strong feed from Giselle Kozarski, Anderson raced past the Aggies (1-1) backline. The defender crossed the ball to a streaking Williams who redirected toward Kerr, for the Vandy transfers first goal in the Scarlett and Black.

With less than 90 seconds left in the opening half, the Red Raiders found the back of the net, when Anderson was fouled in the box awarding a penalty kick.

After drawing the foul, the captain also took the attempt, burying the ball in the lower-right hand corner of the next. The strike was her 10th career goal, and gave the Red Raiders a 3-0 lead at the break.

Coming off the strong first half, the Red Raiders wasted no time finding the back of the net in the second half, when Williams completed her brace 56 seconds into the half.

With the game firmly in hand, the Red Raiders added their fifth and final goal just 13 minutes later, when Kaitlyn Giametta found a streaking Kerr. The senior alertly and swiftly dribbled around New Mexico State keeper Valerie Guha and deposited the ball into the back of the net.

In the end, Tech recorded 17 shots as compared to New Mexico State’s six, with nine of the 17 shots landing on goal.

With the clean sheet tonight, Texas Tech keeper Madison White recorded her 27th career shutout to move to within two shutouts of tying Victoria Esson for the most in program history.

HEAD COACH TOM STONE:
“It was very entertaining night for the fans for sure. We had a ton of high school kids come for high school night. We had some kids from fraternity row come. Students aren’t even fully here yet so that’s a big crowd, over a thousand. And here’s the thing, that’s what it looked like pre covid. We just lost a lot of connection with the community, but we’re getting it back now which is nice.”

On the new grass surface:
“We liked our turf field, and we had a good record on that field and enjoyed it. But the quality of the surface that has been put down really accentuates the way we want to play. We want to pass the ball. On Ashleighs first goal we got a big assist from the field, because on the old turf, the ball that Macy sent in would have rolled out of bounds. We’re so thankful that Tech Athletics saw a need and responded because those things aren’t cheap and it’s not cheap to keep a field nice in West Texas. One thing you’ll find here at Texas Tech is that we want to compete, so I’m thankful for that.”

Coach Stone on Kameron Kloza playing for the first time in two years:
“A lot of kids that have sat for two full seasons would’ve just hung them up… Kam is not that way, there’s no quit in her. She was one of the best defenders in Texas when we recruited her, and tonight for her to on the field for the first time in two years, we couldn’t be happier. We didn’t hesitate, we put her in as soon as we could.”

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders continue the five-match homestand on Thursday night when they welcome in the Ball State Cardinals. First kick from the John Walker Soccer Complex is set for 7 p.m.

–TECH–

Release provided by Andrew Stern Texas Tech Athletics