Texas soccer team beats Houston in Longhorns' first game as SEC program

The Texas soccer team won its first game as a Southeastern Conference athletic program Thursday night against former Big 12 rival Houston.

The 17th-ranked Longhorns never seemed troubled by the Cougars despite not being able to extend their lead in the 1-0 victory. They controlled the ball through smart passing while goalkeeper Mia Justus stopped Houston whenever it was able to find a shot on goal.

The Longhorns are predicted to finish second in the SEC, a conference in which coach Angela Kelly spent 16 years coaching . It wasn't a flashy debut, but a win is a win. Texas' next match will be against Cal State Bakerfield at 1 p.m. Sunday at Myers Stadium.

Here are some takeaways from Texas' first sporting event as an SEC school.

Familiar scene on offense

Lexi Missimo picked up right where she left off last season, scoring the first goal of the season on a slick assist from Madison Haugen. Missimo slipped past the Houston defensive line at the 34:40 mark, collecting the pass and converting a one-on-one against Houston goalkeeper Olivia Dietrich.

In 2023, Missimo scored 26 goals en route to breaking UT's single-season record.

Working out early-season kinks

After allowing the early goal, Dietrich played well the rest of the night. There were more than a few instances in which she single-handedly stopped a Texas breakaway, keeping her team within striking distance. But while her brilliance played a part in Texas' inability to score, the Longhorns also showed some offensive rust.

According to the TV broadcast, Texas didn't play any tuneup games before the opener, and that might have contributed to its offensive struggles. This was the Longhorns' first match, and they were not bad at all, so there's no need to panic. Regardless, it was a bit jarring to see this well-oiled machine of an offense fail to convert while spending most of the game on the attack.

That rust was less apparent on the defensive side. Spearheaded by EmJ Cox and Toni Lopez, Texas held Houston to three shots on goal and put heavy pressure on the Cougars' ball-handlers.

The heat is different in Austin

One thing UT can be proud of is its conditioning.

On a night when the temperatures were in the mid-90s, the Longhorns ran Houston ragged. Three Cougars suffered from leg cramps as Texas was able to dictate the game script for most of the night. Unable to take back possession, Houston was forced to do extra cardio to even sniff a chance at the goal.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas soccer team beats Houston in Longhorns' first game as SEC program