TCU
1-0-0, 0-0-0
Alabama
0-1-0, 0-0-0
Horned Frogs Roll No. 20 Alabama
8/15/2024 10:15:00 PM | Women's Soccer
FORT WORTH - TCU's women soccer opened the 2024 campaign with a 3-0 victory over No. 20 Alabama Thursday night at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium. Newcomers Caroline Kelly contributed the game-winner and Sara Brocious registered two assists to lead the Horned Frogs.
The Rundown
The Horned Frogs and the Crimson Tide were deadlocked through the first 20 minutes of game action, but it was TCU that broke through with the opening goal.
In the 26th minute, Caroline Kelly and Sara Brocious checked into the match for their TCU debut and sparked the Horned Frog offense in the opening stanza. Just over a minute later, Brocious found Kelly on the right side of the field and Kelly did the rest, beating her defender down the line and firing an off-angle shot through the goalkeeper for her first goal as a Frog.
Just six minutes later, Brocious notched her second assist on a give-and-go with Oli Pena from the top of the box. Pena raced downhill before placing the ball in the left side of the net, just past a diving Crimson Tide goalkeeper.
Preseason All-Big 12 selection, Seven Castain tallied TCU's third goal of the night in the 50th minute off a feed from Pena. Castain crossed over her defender as she moved the ball from her left foot to her right foot before delivering a rocket to the right side of the goal.
Goalkeeper Megan Plaschko added four saves as she earned her first clean sheet as a Horned Frog.
Quote of the Game
Head Coach Eric Bell
Overall thoughts on the game
"We had some big chances at the beginning of the game that we didn't put away and we should have. I thought they had one really big chance and they didn't put it away. We made some subs and we were able to get the first goal and a second goal to go into the half up 2-0. We felt pretty good at that time. Then, we thought that if we were able to get a third it would be our game. I was really proud of our effort."
Notes
• TCU improved to 10-2-1 in season-openers under head coach Eric Bell.
• TCU scored its most goals in a season opener since 2017 against UL Monroe
• TCU had three different goal-scorers in a game for the first time since last season at West Virginia.
• Three different Horned Frogs notched a goal for the first time since last season at West Virginia.
• TCU outshot Alabama, 17-14, in the contest
• TCU earned seven corner kicks.
• TCU had 20 players make an appearance in the game.
• Evie Baker, Sarah Bonnecaze, Morgan Brown, Abigail Cox, Elly Harrington, Blake Hodgson, Ainsley Moy and Cameron Patton all made their collegiate debut.
• Sara Brocious, Caroline Kelly and Megan Plaschko made their TCU debut.
• Three freshmen started for TCU (Baker, Brown and Patton).
• Plaschko recorded her first shutout of the season and the 27th of her career.
• Caroline Kelly scored the first goal of the 2024 season.
• Kelly's goal was the 32nd of her career.
• Oli Pena scored her first goal of the season and the fifth of her career.
• Pena also added an assist, the eighth of her career.
• Seven Castain netted her first goal of the season and the 10th of her career.
• Sara Brocious notched her first two assists of the season and the 20th and 21st of her career.
Up Next
The Horned Frogs (1-0-0) travel East to take on Charlotte on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. CT. The game will be televised on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Caroline Kelly (1)
Assisted By: Sara Brocious
GOAL by TCU Kelly, Caroline Assist by Brocious, Sara.
27:09
Oli Pena (1)
Assisted By: Sara Brocious
GOAL by TCU Pena, Oli Assist by Brocious, Sara.
33:22
Seven Castain (1)
Assisted By: Oli Pena
GOAL by TCU Castain, Seven Assist by Pena, Oli.
50:52
