STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Tarleton State Soccer fell just short, dropping to Utah Tech, 2-1 on Thursday night at the Tarleton Soccer Complex.
 
The Texans (7-7-3) and the Trailblazers (4-6-4) will both play against Abilene Christian and Southern Utah to claim the final two spots in the 2024 WAC Soccer Tournament.
 
A pair of shots in the 11^th minute by Stevie Reynolds and Kimberley Hjalmársdottir in the box, but were thwarted by the Trailblazer defenders.
 
In the 18^th minute, the Thunderbirds struck first. Off an acrobatic throw in, Emily Garbett found the ball in front of the box after a header and found the top right of the goal.
 
In the final 20 seconds of the first half Hjalmársdottir brought the ball down the length of the field but fired a shot just high, for the Texans fourth shot of the first half.
 
Reegan Wagg nearly tied the match less than five minutes into the second half. Wagg dribbled down the middle of the field through traffic and fired a shot forcing the Trailblazers keep to dive all the way to the left of the goal barely keeping the lead.
 
In the 53^rd minute, Utah Tech widened its lead. A cross from Lacy Fox found the head of Bre Koscieleski to give the Trailblazers a two goal advantage.
 
Less than a minute later, the Texans found the ball in their offensive zone. After Reynolds fired a shot from the top of the box, the ball deflected off the goalie. Adelaide Wyrzynski nearly deposited the put-back in the back of the net but was stopped by the Trailblazer keeper.
 
In the 75^th minute, Jenaya Brown took a corner from the far side of the field. The ball was put perfectly in the middle of the box where it grazed the back heel of a Trailblazer defender and popped in the back of the net for an own goal, cutting the Texan deficit to one.
 
Just a minute later, Lauren Grissom fired a shot at the bottom of the net, just barely stopped by the Trailblazer keeper.
 
In the final five minutes, Wyrzynski brought the ball down the side of the pitch. With her beating her defender, the opposing keeper came out to defend. Wyrzynski snapped a shot past the keeper destined for a goal, but a Utah Tech defender knocked it out to keep the Trailblazers in the lead.
 
Despite an offensive fury in the second half, the Texans were unable to break through, dropping, 2-1.
 
The Texans will close the weekend with a Sunday matchup against Southern Utah at 1 p.m. on the second annual Soctoberfest. Fans will be able to ride a mechanical bull, receive a free Soctoberfest pint glass and Auntie Anne's pretzels.