Bright’s Hat Trick Leads TCU Over UTRGV

Sunday, August 28

Edinburg, Texas

1 p.m.

TCU

3-0-1, 0-0-0

UTRGV

0-4-0, 0-0-0

TCU

UTRGV

Bright’s Hat Trick Leads TCU Over UTRGV

8/28/2022 3:54:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score

Bright records second career hat trick

EDINBURG, Texas – Messiah Bright recorded her second career hat trick in No. 7 TCU's 5-0 win over UTRGV Sunday afternoon at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex. AJ Hennessey and Seven Castain recorded their first career points and Azul Alvarez tallied three saves for her first career shutout.

The Rundown
TCU's offense started off hot as its first goal came in the second minute of the game. Seven Castain delivered a beautiful corner to set up a Messiah Bright header for a 1-0 lead.

The Horned Frogs found some breathing room as they struck again in the 41st minute. AJ Hennessey picked up the pass from Lauren Memoly right in front of the net and chipped it over the shoulder of the UTRGV goalkeeper.

In the 52nd minute, Bright slipped a defender and went top shelf to give TCU the 3-0 lead. Three minutes later, Castain delivered on another corner kick and a perfectly positioned Bright completed the hat trick with a header into the back of the net.

Michelle Slater capped off the scoring for the Frogs as she notched her first goal of the season in the 80th minute. A deflected free kick from Tyler Isgrig ricocheted to an open Slater, who fired it into the net for a 5-0 lead.

Azul Alvarez made her first career start and made three saves en route to TCU's second straight shutout victory.

Stat of the Game
17 – Messiah Bright recorded the 17th hat trick in program history. She is the only player in TCU's history to have two career hat tricks.

Quotes of the Game
Head Coach Eric Bell.
On the effective set pieces:
"We've been working on set pieces quite a bit. It's important to be diverse from an attacking perspective and, with no overtimes, you have to figure out how to manufacture goals and win games in regulation as opposed to ties. We've been working on a lot of these different set pieces to be sharp on them. We have people serving in good balls and people attacking the ball and we're converting a lot of these chances."

On Messiah Bright's hat trick:
"She has goal-scoring qualities, she's an All-American and I don't expect these kinds of things but I know she's capable of doing those kinds of things. She's a wonderful talent and she can score goals in a lot of different ways and it's hard to deal with from a defending perspective."

On utilizing the newcomers:
"It's more of who is in the game and we have depth. We are able to put these younger players in and get them experience and be able to teach them. Then, when they get fouled or have a corner kick opportunity, they know where they are supposed to be on these different set pieces and they give themselves a chance to be successful."

Notes
• TCU extended its unbeaten streak to 18 games (14-0-4).
• TCU outshot its opponent for the fourth time this season.
• TCU held its opponent to five or fewer shots on goal for the fourth time this season.
• With five goals against UTRGV, TCU has scored 12 goals in the last two contests.
• Messiah Bright recorded her second career hat trick and became the only player in TCU history to record multiple hat tricks in her career.
• Bright registered her 14th career game-winning goal.
• With the hat trick, Bright has 43 career goals and 101 career points.
• Michelle Slater scored her first goal of the season and the fourth of her career.
• Seven Castain recorded her first career points and posted her career first multi-point game with two assists.
• AJ Hennessey scored her first career goal.
• With one assist, Tyler Isgrig is riding a three-game point streak (2G, 1A).
• Lauren Memoly registered her first assist of the season and the third of her career.
• Azul Alvarez and Grace Coppinger made their first collegiate starts.
• Azul Alvarez recorded her first career shutout.

Up Next
TCU (3-0-1) stays on the road and heads to USC Thursday in Los Angeles. The contest, set for a 5 p.m (CST) start, will be televised on Pac-12 Insider.