Ward Makes Texas Soccer History in NCAA Tournament Win

Holly Ward made Texas soccer history by becoming the first student-athlete to score four goals in a NCAA Tournament match.  The #21 Longhorns advanced to the second round of the Championship tournament as they defeated Boston University Terriers, 4-1. 

Texas looked dominate in the opening minutes but Terriers wrestled away controlled, culminating in Fagan Morgan’s goal in the 20th minute. 

Ward tied the match in 29th minute as Boston goalkeeper Bridget Carr mishandled a Lexi Missimo’s corner kick, allowing for an easy goal at point-blank range.  The assist was Missimo’s 63rd in her career, one shy of tying UConn’s Jennifer Tietjen for 10th on the NCAA’s career assist list. 

Texas controlled the match after the halftime break enabling Ward to score her second goal in the 62nd minute on Jilly Shimkin’s crossing pass.  Ward easily beat goalkeeper Carr for the game winning goal, her second of the match. 

Less than five minute later Ward collected Madison Haugen’s crossing pass for her third goal of the match, Ward’s first career hat trick and the first-ever hat trick by a Longhorn in an NCAA tournament. 

Ward final goal came unassisted in the 77th minute as she out-maneuvered Boston defender Hugrun Helgadottir.  Ward became just the sixth Longhorn in program history to score a haul in a single game. 

Texas goalkeeper Mia Justus earned the win, stopping 19 of 20 shots (12 on target).  Justus tied her own program record with 17 wins in a season. 

“What a tremendous match (by Ward),” said Texas head coach Angela Kelly.  “It’s just rare, especially against a team as well organized as Boston was tonight. I’m really proud of her. I’m sure she’s saying she couldn’t have done it without her teammates.”

And Ward did give credit to her teammates, saying “I just feel like everyone was just putting everything in the right spaces. The people who were playing the passes to me were slipping it in at the exact spots.”