HOUSTON – Goals were aplenty on Sunday in Tarleton State's match at Houston Christian, and although it was another draw for the Texans, it was a much different outing than Thursday's scoreless final.
The Texans (0-2-5) and Huskies (2-3-2) played a 4-4 draw on Sunday at Sorrels Field in Houston on Sunday afternoon. After a two-hour lightning delay to begin the match, scoring struck quickly and often, with four goals scored in each half, two by each team.
HCU led twice in the match, a 1-0 advantage four minutes in, then 2-1 in the 20th minute. Twice Tarleton State evened the match, scoring in the 11th minute to make it 1-1, then the 26th minute to make it 2-2. The Texans made it three unanswered goals with two to start the second half (54th and 69th minutes) to lead 4-2, but HCU battled back with two to make it a draw, scoring in the 75th and 88th minutes.
Freshman
Avery Mendez scored twice for Tarleton State, her first collegiate goals, with
Zahra Friess and Baily Pottratz adding the others.
Jessica Baires had three assists in the match, the second Texan in program history with three assists in a match, joining Kiki Baurmann's three-assist day against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Aug. 25, 2022.
Isa Bergeron-Prejean and
Adelaide Wyrzynski added assists Sunday, as well.
Tarleton State's four goals are a season-high, their most since four against Utah Tech on Oct. 5, 2025, and their most on the road since four at Texas Southern on Aug. 24, 2025.
The Texans now have five draws across their first seven matches, including three straight. This is the third time in program history Tarleton State has strung together three draws in three straight matches.
There were a combined 41 shots and 23 shots on goal in Houston, with HCU peppering 23 shots (13 on goal) and Tarleton State 18 (10 on goal). Each team had four corner kicks, and Tarleton State was whistled for two more fouls (10-8), plus two yellow cards.
Houston Christian's Olivia Rossman scored the opening goal in the fourth minute on the first shot of the day. Friess capitalized on consistent pressure by the Purple and White in the 11th minute to even the match 1-1, assist to Baires. In the 20th minute after a corner, HCU's Isabella Dillow scored to make it 2-1 Huskies, assist to Zylee Dominguez. In the 26th minute, Mendez scored her first goal on a header, assist to Bergeron-Prejean, to make it 2-2.
In the 54th minute, Mendez made it back-to-back goals after the Texans drove the length of the pitch, assists to Baires and Wyrzynski. Pottratz then scored her first of the year on a deep shot, assist to Baires, to give Tarleton State a 4-2 lead in the 69th minute. HCU cut the deficit in half with a goal by Paisley Barela, assist to Dillow, in the 75th minute. The Huskies completed their comeback in the 88th minute on a goal by Iliana Sanchez, assist to Isabella Alamo.
Both teams' goalkeepers played the entire match, with Tarleton State's
Rylie Bloomfield earning eight saves to four goals allowed, and HCU's Emmy McKeon recording six saves to four goals allowed.
Tarleton State's
Peyton Bryant played the entire match for the seventh straight time. Friess led the Texans in both shots (seven) and shots on goal (four).
The Texans will have a single match in the upcoming week, finishing a three-match road trip on Friday at Prairie View A&M at 7 p.m.
