AUSTIN, Texas – On Thursday night at Mike A. Myers Stadium, freshman forward Trinity Byars scored her first collegiate brace (two goals), including her initial career "golden goal" at the 103:01 mark, to power Texas soccer (3-3-2) to the program's 300th all-time victory behind a 2-1 (2OT) win over Samford (3-3-2).

Texas Team Notes

• Byars' brace was the first of her collegiate career and the fourth multi-goal match recorded by a Longhorns player this season (Lexi Missimo – 2, Julia Grosso – 1, Trinity Byars – 1).
• The victory marked the 300th all-time in Texas soccer history. The Longhorns overall record now stands at 300-202-55 (.588).
• Byars' three goals this year tie her for second on the squad alongside senior midfielder Julia Grosso.
• Grosso managed her first two assists of the season, while reigning Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Week Lexi Missimo picked up her fourth helper of 2021.
• Texas has now won 34 consecutive matches in which the Longhorns scored two-or-more goals dating back to the start of the 2017 season.
• The Longhorns out-shot the Bulldogs by a commanding total of 33-8, including 17-4 in the opening half, led 7-3 in shots on goal and 9-2 in corner kicks.
• Texas has now posted at least 25 shots in a match four times this season and has crossed the 30-shot plateau twice (at Rice, vs. Samford).
• Texas improved to 3-0-0 all-time against Samford with all three victories occurring in Austin.

The Details

Just 3:16 in off a corner, it was Texas that registered the first scoring chance of the contest as freshman defender EmJ Cox leapt high in the air to head a shot just outside the right post.

Against the run of play, Samford struck quickly at 4:20 to grab an early 1-0 lead. In possession out on the right side of the 18-yard box, Alyssa Frazier fired a shot that ricocheted off a pair of players in front. The ball bounced right to Kylie Gazza, and she finished into the bottom left corner from seven yards out.

The Longhorns immediately began the process of locating the equalizer as Byars had a huge opportunity go awry at 7:24. After weaving through three defenders in the right side of the box, the Richardson, Texas, native drove a shot across the mouth of goal and just a foot outside the left post.

Finally, after threatening numerous times, UT tied things up at 14:27. Grosso started the play outside the top of the box with a pass to Missimo. The Southlake, Texas, product then delivered a perfect through ball between defenders right into Byars' path, and she beat the keeper from 11 yards out.

Texas continued to shoot prolifically over the remainder of the opening half as freshman forward Holly Ward forced a Morgan McAslan stop on a bending try at 24:40.

Later in the stanza during the 29th minute, freshman forward Tati Fung crossed a ball in from the right wing. Waiting in the middle about 13 yards out was sophomore defender Lauren Lapomarda, but her leaping volley attempt went over the top.

It was Grosso that forced another McAslan stop at 35:06 as the Vancouver, British Columbia, native's sliding shot from 15 yards out traveled straight into the keeper's arms.

Out of the halftime break, Byars nearly pushed the Longhorns in front at 47:54, but her effort from the top of the box traveled just wide of the right post.

Lapomarda faced another massive chance at 52:56 off a Byars cross into the middle. Unfortunately, her volley was blocked by the lone Samford defender standing between her and McAslan.

During the 56th minute, Missimo continued Texas' pressure by launching a shot from 10 yards out in the middle, but McAslan parried it out to her left. Grosso pounced on the loose ball and followed with a shot from 12 yards out, but that effort was blocked out for a corner.

Back at the other end, Samford came close to the go-ahead goal off a corner at 70:19. On the feed into the middle, Mary Raymond got up to head a 10-yard shot just outside the left post.

With just 10:50 remaining in regulation, Samford's Alyssa Conarton nearly pulled off a miracle, but her 40-plus-yard shot from the right wing was tipped up-and-over the crossbar by leaping Texas fifth-year senior keeper Savannah Madden.

During the first "sudden victory" OT session, it was Texas with the only two scoring chances as Ward and Grosso had shots blocked by the Bulldog defense.

Samford's Raymond managed the initial chance of the second extra session after her effort traveled wide left at 100:38.

The end came suddenly at 103:01 as Grosso secured a turnover just across midfield in Texas territory, advanced up-field and delivered a long pass ahead to Byars at the top right of the box. The freshman forward took a quick dribble to her left before beating McAslan from seven yards out to finalize a 2-1 (2OT) win.