Texas Tech Soccer Outlasts West Virginia, Starting New Unbeaten Streak

LUBBOCK - No. 14 Texas Tech welcomed No. 16 West Virginia into John Walker Soccer Complex in Lubbock for a ranked conference matchup on Thursday that ended in a 2-1 victory for the Red Raiders.

Both teams were coming off disappointing results, with Texas Tech dropping their first game of the season against BYU in Provo, and West Virginia suffering their second loss of the season at home against UCF.

For Texas Tech, the loss to BYU broke an 18-game unbeaten streak in the regular season that stretched back to 2025.

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In a game between two teams near the top of the Big 12 table, it was West Virginia that brought the energy early. The Mountaineers put the first goal on the board on a free kick by midfielder Maya Leoni in the 7th minute.

Last week in Provo, it was Texas Tech getting off to a quick start scoring less than a minute into the game, however now the Red Raiders faced adversity for the second straight game. 

The Mountaineers only allowed Texas Tech five shots in the first half; however, the Red Raiders wouldn’t need a shot to find the equalizer.

On a long pass to the attacking third by Texas Tech midfielder Gianna Gregoire, the recipient Taylor Zdrojewski made a turn into the push and was dragged down by West Virginia defender Nyema Ingleton to draw a penalty for Tech.

Zdrojewski wouldn’t be the one to take the penalty, however, as defender and fifth-year senior Kylie Bahr stepped into the spot.

Bahr delivered a shot to the bottom right of the net to tie things up one-to-one in the 24th minute. Her third of the season and her career.

The rest of the first half was a stalemate, with neither team able to get anything else going offensively.

Texas Tech came out in the second, guns blazing, putting up the first seven shots of the half, including the go-ahead goal by Taylor Zdrojewski, her team-leading 11th goal of the season in the 11th minute, putting the Red Raiders on top.

Throughout the rest of the second half, the game slowed. Texas Tech applied pressure and didn't allow many opportunities for the Mountaineers' offense.

In the 83rd minute, the Red Raiders almost found an insurance goal; however, a leaping save by West Virginia goalkeeper Bailey Halfurth kept the Mountaineers only one behind.

This was just an example of how dominant the Texas Tech attack was in the second. After having only five shots in the first, the Red Raiders ended with 20 overall; meanwhile, West Virginia only managed to get two more shots, finishing with nine.

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Texas Tech will now head back up to Utah for a Sunday matinee against the Utes.

In a conference race that has four teams tied for first, Texas Tech was able to pick up a crucial win, especially with two other teams in the mix (Kansas and Baylor) still on the schedule.