Final third woes: Lack of end product costs Houston soccer in loss to No. 18 West Virginia

Execution in the final third stood in the way of victory for Houston, as it fell 2-0 to No. 18 West Virginia at Carl Lewis International Complex on Friday night, suffering its first defeat of conference play in 2026. 

“I thought we were the better team until we reached the final third and then we weren’t good enough,” coach Ben Williams said.

A win for the Cougars would’ve given them their first win over a ranked opponent since 2021, when they defeated No. 23 Memphis 1-0.

The first half became a lot to desire for both teams, especially on the offensive end.

Houston had seven shots, but only one was on target and were called offside three times, showing a lack of cohesion in the final third. On the other hand, the Mountaineers managed three on-target shots, but the Cougars’ defense remained sturdy and tough to break down, with junior goalkeeper Sierra McCluer making three saves.

The second half was more of the same story for Houston. Despite finishing with 17 shots, the end product in the attacking third never showed up during the game for the Cougars, with only five shots on target while looking disjointed in attack despite creating numerous chances.

“We don’t deserve to win games when you miss that many chances,” Williams said. “We had the better chances and didn’t hit the target.” 

Thanks to steady, controlled play, West Virginia, who finished the game with 13 shots (nine on target) and six corners, broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute.

 Junior forward Abbey Olexa played a square pass to junior defender Sophia Nickel, who then launched a shot towards the bottom left corner on the edge of Houston’s box. McCluer got a hand on it, but couldn’t keep it from hitting the back of the net.

About nine minutes later, the Mountaineers struck again when senior defender Olivia Shertzer intercepted a loose ball before launching a shot nearly 28 meters out that beat McCluer to the far post and into the back of the net.

“They had two chances from 35 yards that’s easy to stop, but we didn’t defend properly and they punished us,” Williams said.

The Cougars now prepare for a three-game road trip beginning on Thursday, Oct.8, when they head to Murphy Field in Tucson, Ariz. to take on the Wildcats.