SOC Records 0-0 Draw Against West Virginia

Sunday, October 24

1 PM

Baylor

8-3-6, 4-1-3

West Virginia

9-4-4, 3-2-3

West Virginia

Baylor

SOC Records 0-0 Draw Against West Virginia

10/24/2021 5:02:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score SOC_17_WVU

Bears celebrate senior day after the game

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            On a day when Baylor soccer honored its eight seniors, one of them saved the day and another one came close to ending it.
            While fifth-year senior goalkeeper Jennifer Wandt came up with five saves and recorded her 39^thcareer shutout in Sunday afternoon's game at Betty Lou Mays Field, senior forward Taylor Moon had a one-on-one opportunity at the end of the first overtime period blocked by goalkeeper West Virginia goalkeeper Kayza Massey as the Bears (8-3-6, 4-1-3) had their third 0-0 draw in their last four games.
            "Obviously, we would have loved to walk away with a victory on Senior Day," said Baylor coach Paul Jobson, whose team wrapped up a top-four seed for the Big 12 Championship. "But, at the end of the day, this conference is so tight, and West Virginia is a really good team. So, I'm happy to walk away with at least a point today."
            To preserve the tie, Wandt tipped away a shot by Lilly McCarthy and then smothered the rebound shot by Isabella Sibley in the first minute of the first OT period.
            "I hadn't had to do much big in 90 minutes," Wandt said. "So, to come up big for my team in that moment was important to me. It was just kind of a reaction thing. I didn't really think too much. I just had to react in the moment. We almost got a breakaway on the other end (by Moon), so those are the type of momentum moments we want to capitalize on in the future."
            After Baylor dominated the first half, out-shooting the Mountaineers, 7-3, West Virginia came out firing in the second half and then had a 7-1 advantage in the overtime periods to close the gap to 15-14 at the end of the game.
            "I think their coach fired them up, they probably weren't happy with how they finished the first half," Jobson said. "I think they were just more willing in the second half. We had to continue to match that. I thought we were pretty consistent through the match. We told our girls at halftime that they would be a different team at the beginning of the second half. And that's exactly what we saw."
            Besides Wandt and Moon, the seniors honored were fifth-year seniors Sarah Norman and Ally Henderson-Ashkinos and true seniors Kayle Ables, Maddie Algya, Giuliana Cunningham and Elena Reyna.
            "The Super Seniors, our COVID seniors, fifth-year, whatever you want to call them, they came as freshman in 2017 and were part of back-to-back Elite Eight runs," Jobson said. "And, obviously, the true seniors came in during that time as well. They know what it means to be successful, know what it means to win.
            "I think this year, they're putting some pieces together, teaching the young kids what that looks like, and bringing them on board. Our success this year is a lot of credit to their leadership."
            While the loss eliminated Baylor from the regular-season conference championship, Wandt said the Bears are focused on gaining momentum in Thursday's regular-season finale at Oklahoma and the Big 12 Championship and "trying to win a championship out of that."
            Baylor will close out the regular season with a 7 p.m. game Thursday at Oklahoma (7-10-1, 3-5-0), which wrapped up a postseason tournament berth with a 1-0 win over Iowa State on Sunday. The Big 12 tournament begins next Sunday, Oct. 31, with the quarterfinals at Round Rock Multipurpose Complex in Round Rock, Texas.

THE RUNDOWN
WACO, Texas – Baylor battled the Mountaineers for all 110 minutes of Sunday's game, shutting out West Virginia in a 0-0 draw. This is Baylor's last regular-season home game before the conference tournament starts next weekend.

The Bears dominated through the first 90 minutes, out shooting the Mountaineers 14-7. Ally Henderson-Ashkinos and Maddie Algya each had shots on goal in the first half.

The big battle this game was on defense. The Baylor backline shut out an opponent for the eighth time this year and fourth straight in conference play. Goalkeeper, Jennifer Wandt recorded five saves and picked up her 39^thcareer shutout.

In the second half, the Bears got off five shots on goal, testing the Mountaineers goalkeeper. Forward Elizabeth Kooiman led the team in shots with three, two of them on goal.

The biggest play of the night came in the first overtime when Wandt was tested three times in a row and came up with two big-time saves to stop West Virginia from a golden goal situation. Her three saves in the first overtime were all that were needed in the extra 20 minutes.

The second overtime saw the Mountaineers take three shots but none of them on goal. Seven of West Virginia's 14 shots for the game came in the overtime period.

Following Sunday's game, the eight Baylor soccer seniors were honored at midfield for all of their commitment to the program. The group included five 4^th-year seniors Kayley Ables, Taylor Moon, Maddie Algy, Giuliana Cunningham and Elena Reyna, along with 5^th-year seniors Jennifer Wandt, Sarah Norman and Ally Henderson-Ashkinos.

HIGHLIGHTS

Elizabeth Kooiman led the team in shots (3) and shots on goal (2)
Six Bears played all 110 minutes
Olivia Mack played a quality 51 minutes off the bench
Baylor had its fourth-straight conference shutout
Eight seniors were honored post-game

STAT OF THE GAME
8 – the number of shutouts Baylor has had this season

TOP QUOTES
Paul Jobson on going to overtime…
"They've been here before, and I think experience does a lot for us. It's not our first overtime match. And they're always ready. They love playing together. I know that they get tired toward the end of a match, but I don't think they are ever ready for the game to be over until it's finally over. They fight and scrap and play hard until we're done. It's just a mentality."

Paul Jobson on the seniors…
"The Super Seniors, our COVID Seniors, fifth-year, whatever you want to call them, they came here as freshman in our '17 year, back-to-back Elite 8 runs. And obviously the next group that we honored today, the true seniors, came in during that time as well, and know what it means to be successful, know what it means to win. And even through our lull, what that looks like. And I think this year, they're putting some pieces together, teaching the young kids what that looks like and bringing them on board. Our success this year is a lot of credit to their leadership."

Jennifer Wandt on the game…
"You know it was a tough game. 110 minutes and I think both sides battled really hard obviously we would rather win than tie, but we'll take the point. At this point in time with it being senior night, it was super fun celebrate with the team and all of our families after, so it was just a really really special day"

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