TCU Soccer: Horned Frogs Take Three Points In Remarkable Comeback

Late-game heroics see TCU victorious over Minnesota

The Horned Frogs kicked off their second match of the season at home against the University of Minnesota Gophers in what proved to be an incredibly challenging yet exciting game, finishing with two late goals for the victory. While trailing by a goal for the majority of the match, the Horned Frogs’ sensational comeback win against the University of Minnesota not only highlighted their resilience but also the depth of quality across their roster. TCU won 2-1. 

Just a few minutes into the second half, Minnesota took the lead with a goal from forward McKenna Buisman, who struck the ball into the back of the net making it 1-0 Gophers. But as the game went on, the Horned Frogs would not quit and looked increasingly threatening–it was only a matter of time before the ball ended up in the back of the net. It took late heroics and the comeback came when the Gophers conceded a corner in the 84’ minute. Freshman Tyler Isgrig stood over the ball and served the cross on a silver platter for Seven Castain who headed it past the outreaching goalkeeper. It took just a few more minutes until TCU grabbed the lead on a great strike from inside the box by Megan Reilly. Minnesota struggled at clearing the ball and when it fell to Reilly the only option was to slot it away for the game-winner.

Tyler Isgrig 🤝 Seven Castain#GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/GGNG71mWzr

— TCU Soccer (@TCUSoccer) August 21, 2022

As crucial as those goals were for TCU, it is equally important to discuss the other aspects of the game. The first challenge for Coach Eric Bell and the Horned Frogs was their star midfielder, Payton Crews, having been suspended after receiving a red card against Wisconsin in the previous game. The Horned Frogs turned to Michelle Slater who had a notable performance providing great stability in the midfield. A physical player, Slater played alongside Oli Peña and was able to control the tempo and speed of the game. The quality and composure she showed on the ball were top-class, and she further impacted the game with her elite awareness and ability to switch the point of the attack. Her work rate on and off the ball was stellar as well–she worked up and down the pitch to defend and retrieve possession and continuously opened up and provided options for teammates.

Another Horned Frog that had a great performance was goalkeeper Lauren Kellett, who came up with a massive save that kept the game scoreless early on. Sarah Melcher conceded a penalty after a lazy and careless tackle. Although it wasn’t the best penalty, credit to Kellett who made the big stop and kept the Horned Frogs in the game. Following a collision with Minnesota’s Izzy Brown, Kellett was carted off due to what appeared to be a head injury. The goalkeeper showed her aggressiveness today and put her body on the line multiple times for her team–we wish her a speedy recovery. It is equally crucial to note that freshman goalkeeper, Azul Alvarez quickly stepped in for the injured Kellett and proved effective in managing the rest of the match.

86' A beautiful unassisted goal for Megan Reilly!

Her first for TCU gives the Frogs the lead with four minutes left to play.#GoFrogs | @megreilly6 pic.twitter.com/iSsu40iU5t

— TCU Soccer (@TCUSoccer) August 21, 2022

While the Horned Frogs played well today, they struggled to find the back of the net until late in the game. The Gophers are an extremely talented team defensively and forced TCU to work hard for their goals. Their midfield and the backline were stout, and working as a collective unit led to a strong, compact defensive shape that excelled at shifting across and maintaining their defensive duties, creating an impenetrable congestion in and around the 18-yard box. This was further aided by Minnesota goalkeeper Megan Plaschko, who commanded her box tremendously. She made five saves and consistently parried incoming crosses. Her communication in the back played a key role in the Gophers' compact and sound defense.

Minnesota also excelled at containing Messiah Bright by double-teaming her throughout the game. This is a defensive adjustment that TCU faced in their previous match against Wisconsin and should begin to expect it going forward. TCU struggled to find other avenues to attack while Bright was shut down, which is an aspect of the game that Eric Bell and the team will need to address to have success for the rest of the season. TCU can become one-dimensional when only relying on Messiah Bright’s abilities and will have to play to the rest of the team’s strengths and talents to generate goals; doing so effectively will then create new opportunities for Bright. A key opportunity for TCU to overcome this issue will be Bright’s constant movement off the ball–making diagonal runs not only confuses the opposition but opens up space for other players to exploit as well. Bright also had an opportunity to equalize in the second half but pulled her penalty wide of the mark. 

Coach Bell will surely be pleased with the determination and toughness his team showed in their comeback victory. What seemed like a certain defeat suddenly turned on its head and favored the Horned Frogs 2-1 in a matter of minutes. TCU will look to regroup and build upon this massive win when they host Santa Clara on Thursday.

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