COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Washington State women's soccer team battled triple-digit temperatures and the Texas A&M Aggies to a 3-2 win, Sunday evening in College Station, Texas. For the second time in as many matches, the Cougars rallied after conceding the opening goal with freshmen Naomi Clark netting the equalizer and fifth-year senior Grayson Lynch scoring the game-winning goal with a brace.
 
In the 14th minute, Texas A&M put numbers forward, catching the Cougar midfield behind the ball. The Aggies' Carissa Boeckmann found MaKhiya McDonald for the opening goal. Boeckmann took advantage of a long touch and open space into the right side of the Cougars' penalty area, playing a short low ball to a diagonally-running McDonald at the corner of the 6-yard box.
 
Fewer than 10 minutes later, WSU freshman Naomi Clark jumped on a misplayed ball by the Texas A&M right side, pouncing on the loose ball at the top of the box. Clark took two touches into the area, creating an angle, before calmly finishing the equalizer at the near post in the 22nd minute.
 
The goal was Clark's second of her career, and she became the first Cougar freshman since Kailiana Johnson in 2013 to score in the first two games of her freshmen season.
 
The sides entered the break even. Returning from halftime, freshman Megan Santa Cruz dribbled her way into the box in the 53rd minute, splitting defenders toward the endline. The California freshman put herself between a defender and the ball, going to ground on a challenge from behind to earn a penalty kick. Fifth-year senior Grayson Lynch stepped up to the spot and buried the penalty to give WSU a 2-1 lead early in the second half.
 
Texas A&M pressed forward, looking for the equalizer and earned the opportunity fewer than 10 minutes later, when the center official pointed to the spot again, in favor of the Aggies. A WSU defender tugged at an Aggie attacker's jersey, who smartly went to ground for the whistle. Maile Hayes stepped up and equalized the game again in the 60th minute.
 
With half an hour to play, the game opened up. Texas A&M continued putting numbers forward for the game-winning opportunity, while Washington State executed lethal counter attacks, hoping to catch the Aggies out of shape. The Cougars' chance came in the 79th minute when an attempted clearance from Texas A&M fell to Margie Detrizio. The senior one-timed the ball out of the air, square across the penalty area to Lynch. The Castle Rock, Colo., native took a touch and chipped the game-winning goal over the keeper and into the far post.
 
The goal gave Lynch her third career brace and first two goals of the season. The fifth-year senior's career goal tally increased to 17, just three goals shy of the school's all-time top-10 list. Lynch also notched her seventh career game-winning goal, tied for eighth in program history.
 
Junior goalkeeper Nadia Cooper made five saves in the match, including a strong parry in the 42nd minute to keep the game level. Cooper increased her career save total to 116 saves and picked up her 20th career win.
 
Washington State returns to the pitch Thursday, Aug. 24 in Portland to face the Portland Pilots at 7 p.m. PT at Merlo Field.
 
Stat of the Match
Freshman Naomi Clark became the first Cougar freshman since Kailiana Johnson in 2013 to score in the first two games of her freshmen season
 
Postgame Notes

• Nadia Cooper earned her 20th career win, moving her four wins shy of fifth in school history
• Naomi Clark scored her second career goal and became the first WSU freshman since Kailiana Johnson in 2013 to score in the first two games of her freshmen season
• Margie Detrizio tallied an assist for the second consecutive game, the 13th of her career and one shy of the WSU top-10 list
• Nadia Cooper also increased to 3,335 career minutes in goal, sixth all-time
• Bridget Rieken surpassed 6,000 minutes played in her WSU career
• Freshman Georgia Whitehead made her collegiate debut, entering the game late in the first half
• With the win, Todd Shulenberger earned his 91st Cougar victory
• The Cougars picked up their second all-time win against Texas A&M and first since 1993
• WSU earned its first penalty kick since Nov. 13, 2021
• Nadia Cooper faced her first penalty kick of the season, and first since Oct. 6, 2022, conceding at California
• Grayson Lynch tallied her 16th and 17th career goals, the third brace of her career, and the seventh game-winning goal of her career
• Margie Detrizio earned her 51st career point with her 13th career assist to move into a tie for 10th in school history