CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – One of the most historic seasons in program history came to a close Thursday night as the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi soccer team fell in a heartbreaking 2-1 decision to No. 3 East Texas A&M in the Southland Conference semifinal game at the Dr. Jack Dugan Family Soccer and Track Stadium.
The Islanders (10-5-5) closed out their season as the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament semifinals, their highest seeding in a postseason, after garnering a 2-1 victory over Lamar in the quarterfinals. That score was carried into tonight, but unfortunately it was the Islanders who saw the short side this time as No. 3 East Texas A&M (9-9-3) was able to deliver the upset.
East Texas A&M, previously Texas A&M-Commerce, was able to draw a handball in the box in the 54
th minute after both teams saw a 0-0 score at half. The Southland Player of the Year, Kaydence Ramirez, was able to bury her penalty kick to put the Lions ahead 1-0.
The Islanders had a response in the 60th minute as an excellent pass down the side from senior
Storm Harris found freshman
Cilia Leal who drew the keeper out. Leal was able to control and send a ball across to senior
Morgan Westbury, who finished with the open net to equalize at one apiece.
It was then the Lions with a final response in the 68
th minute, however, as a shot got through to put East Texas A&M ahead the remainder of the way.
The Islanders still have a tremendous amount of success to reflect on this season under the direction of first-year head coach
Daniel Clitnovici. They closed out the regular season on a four-game winning streak to cement their best season in program history with the first-ever winning season.
The Islanders then took on two-time defending tournament champion Lamar in the quarterfinals of the 2024 SLC Tournament and halted the Cardinals' quest for a three-peat as A&M-Corpus Christi came away with their first outright win in the postseason. The victory advanced them to their second-ever semifinal appearance, as well as clinching the program's most wins in a season (10).
With the tournament being hosted on their home field, the Islanders also moved to six home wins this year following the quarterfinal game which is also the program's most home wins in a single season.
The historic success started at the very beginning of the year, however, as the Islanders jumped out to the program's best season start in program history as 2024 didn't see a loss within the first three games played. Then, the program got off to its best-ever start to conference play as they remained undefeated through the first four games played. They were the last team in the league to register a loss in the SLC slate.
Other programs records throughout the season include longest unbeaten streak (7), most shutouts in a row (4), most shutouts in SLC season (6), fewest road losses (2), and longest winning streak (5), as well as tying the longest winning streak in regular season conference games (4) and tying most shutouts in a season (8),
Even before tonight, Westbury had broken the program records for most goals scored (6) and most points recorded (17) by a senior in a season. Senior
Zoe Theriot had also broken the program record of most shutouts in a year by a senior goalkeeper with five and extended the new standard to eight this year. She posted 10 wins on the year, also a program record by a senior goalie, and completed tonight with a 1.09 Goals Against Average (GAA) which breaks the single-season record.
For the seniors, tonight gave Westbury the 15
th goal of her career with the Islanders, Harris her eighth ever assist, and Theriot added a save to her career total of 152.
The team and individual successes will be etched into the record book following the 2024 season, as the Islanders will look ahead to extending those into next season.
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