{"id":51927,"date":"2025-11-16T14:58:44","date_gmt":"2025-11-16T14:58:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/51927\/"},"modified":"2025-11-16T14:58:44","modified_gmt":"2025-11-16T14:58:44","slug":"texas-tech-advances-in-ncaa-tournament-behind-parsons-strike-zdrojewskis-record-tying-winner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/51927\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas Tech Advances in NCAA Tournament Behind Parsons\u2019 Strike & Zdrojewski’s Record-Tying Winner"},"content":{"rendered":"

After the final seconds ran off and Texas Tech celebrated their 2-1 opening round NCAA Tournament win over UTSA, Tom Stone walked over to the crowd two hands up clapping and saluting the fans. His players sprayed water on each other in celebration and soaked in the moment. Not every program gets this. But November at John Walker has a way of turning postseason games into memories that last far beyond the scoreboard.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving been here 19 years, I\u2019ve seen this crowd grow to the point where it is now, and it is just so rewarding,\u201d said Texas Tech head coach Tom Stone. \u201cIt\u2019s a big part of the Texas Tech soccer experience. It\u2019s not, you have a great team, you go to the NCAA tournament, you\u2019ve won some Big 12s, you\u2019ve been to the Sweet 16\u2026 and by the way, nobody cares. Just not the storyline here. The community loves us and loves the girls. The athletic department has been nothing but generous to us \u2014 they give us everything we need to win. And the crowd was just magic. I tell them all the time, you\u2019re going to miss this when you\u2019re gone\u2026 you\u2019re going to miss those people cheering for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

That atmosphere powered Texas Tech through a tense and history field NCAA Tournament opener, where Peyton Parsons drilled the first goal in the 13th minute, Taylor Zdrojewski buried a late winner, and Macy Blackburn broke the single-season assists record. Zdrojewski\u2019s goal also tied the single-season program record for game-winners, adding to a season already lined with milestones.<\/p>\n

Texas Tech out-shot UTSA 20\u20138, controlled 53% of possession, and leaned on its veteran core to secure a 2\u20131 win at Walker.<\/p>\n

Texas Tech Stat Leaders<\/p>\n

Taylor Zdrojewski \u2013 6 shots, 2 shots on goal, 1 goal, 85 minutes<\/p>\n

Peyton Parsons \u2013 4 shots, 3 shots on goal, 1 goal, 1 assist, 80 minutes<\/p>\n

Macy Blackburn \u2013 3 shots, 2 shots on goal, 1 (record breaking) assist<\/p>\n

How It Happened<\/p>\n

The first goal came from a play off a short corner sequence \u2014 though not exactly the one drawn up on the clipboard.<\/p>\n

Parsons admitted afterward she wasn\u2019t even initially expecting it, but Ms. November didn\u2019t hesitate when Blackburn found her with tons of space outside the box for a rocket to put Tech up 1-0 13 minutes in. <\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, I wasn\u2019t really set up for that play, but once Macy got the ball, I knew I had to be \u2014 so I quickly moved, and it worked out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coach Stone then revealed the full, chaotic backstory.<\/p>\n

The first time Tech tried the set piece, assistant coach Nick Hallam yelled \u201cP!\u201d from the far end of the field and Stone didn\u2019t even know why. He assumed Nick wanted the ball delivered to Parsons, so he told his team to run it the next time. But when it ended up on the right corner Sam Courtwright said \u201cI can\u2019t play that with my left,\u201d so her and Blackburn swapped the roles to tap the corner over to Blackburn who ultimately found Parsons for the goal. .<\/p>\n

\u201cAs fate would have it,\u201d Stone said looking over at Parsons as he gave the backstory she wasn\u2019t even aware led into her postseason moment. \u201cyou score a great goal, and Macy breaks the all-time single-season record.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blackburn was already the all-time career leader in assists, a record she set last season and has extended to that out to 46 total. But now she adds the single season record to her name as well notching her 13th and record breaking assist on the Parsons goal to start the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s been the most dominant flank player we\u2019ve ever had. She\u2019s the ultra, ultra, uber competitor\u2026 and yet as soon as the lights go off, she\u2019s as sweet as the day is long. But when those lights come on? She is a ferocious beast of a soccer player. She\u2019s going to have a great career wherever she decides to play next.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Bizarre Equalizer, But No Panic<\/p>\n

Despite controlling the match, Tech saw UTSA level it in the 61st minute on a long free kick ball from the goalkeeper that carried in the West Texas wind and dipped into the net over the outstretched hand of Faith Nguyen. The moment was stunning for fans, and UTSA\u2019s Kessler alike who went full surrender cobra in shock after her magical moment, but Texas Tech didn\u2019t blink. <\/p>\n

Both Parsons and Zdrojewski said afterward that the belief never wavered. They felt a winner was coming because they had been \u201chammering the goal\u201d all match. No panic. They simply huddled up, reset and blistered the Roadrunners in goal like they had been for much of the game until the winner came. <\/p>\n

In the 76th minute, the breakthrough arrived. Leibel somehow slipped a ball through traffic just at the top of the box to Zdrojewski who fought through defenders to find the tiniest of windows to pounce \u2014 ripping home her 16th goal of the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery forward wants to be a goal scorer\u2026 to be able to provide for my team in that instance I want to be that person for my team that we can get the lead and the go-ahead goal. At this time of the year, it\u2019s do or go home.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was her seventh game-winner of the season, tying the Texas Tech record with Red Raider great Ashleigh Williams.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s incredible to be in the same category of those players\u2026 I really give credit to my team and the opportunities they\u2019re able to put me in. I wish P had the game-winner tonight, but if she can\u2019t have it, then I guess I\u2019ll step up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Next Up: NCAA Second Round vs. North Carolina in Forth Worth on Thursday, Time TBD<\/p>\n

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Tech\u2019s back line held firm down the stretch \u2014 Nguyen recorded three saves while the entire back group shut down late chaotic pressure to close out the win. e<\/p>\n

But it was the crowd that carried the final minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a lot of emotion out there tonight,\u201d said Stone. \u201cIn fact, I don\u2019t really recall a final game at Walker with that many people really upset or happy emotionally, because they knew that was their last game here. Maybe something dramatic happens and we end up back here, but for now, it looks like it\u2019s the last game here.\u201c<\/p>\n

That drama could come actually, a lot of which will need to be stirred by their own hands as they head to Fort Worth for rounds two and three next week. Texas Tech will face the defending National Champion North Carolina Tar Heels who knocked out three-seeded Tennessee in their opening round game. <\/p>\n

\u201cOnce you get past the first round, everybody\u2019s good,\u201d said Stone. The opportunity to do something great in a lot of our hometowns would be excellent\u2026 We\u2019re going to put the Red Raider bat signal up in the sky of Fort Worth.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a familiar foe for Tech, as the two squared off in a 1-0 war of a game won by the Tar Heels in the 2023 NCAA Sweet 16 in Lubbock.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s definitely memories coming back from that game,\u201d said Zdrojewski. \u201cHopefully that\u2019ll fuel the fire. There\u2019s no better opportunity than to take down the defending national champs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Game will be streamed on ESPN+. Game time and ticket information to be announced.<\/p>\n

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