Lone Star showdown: No. 8 Baylor takes down No. 25 Houston in final regular season game

In Houston soccer’s final regular-season matchday on Thursday night, the Big 12 tournament bracket received a big shakeup as No. 8 Baylor clawed through No. 25 Houston in a 2-1 victory in Waco.

The win pushed the Bears to the No. 3 seed in the tournament, while the Cougars finished as the No. 6 seed.

Both teams were still in the running for the Big 12 regular-season title ahead of the match, needing Texas Tech and BYU to lose their matches.

Baylor dominated the early exchanges of the first half with three shots in the early 15 minutes. In the 16th minute, senior defender Jocelyn Chinea fouled Bears senior forward Lauren Omholt inside the Cougars’ penalty area, leading to a penalty for Baylor.

Despite junior goalkeeper Sierra McCluer diving the right way, Omholt drilled her shot into the bottom right corner to give the Bears the lead. Houston was able to get back into the game with seven shots to end the half, same as Baylor, but only made one on target in comparison to three for the Bears.

Nine minutes into the second half, Baylor struck again when junior midfielder Noelle Sather lined up to take a corner kick. She hoofed it up, creating enough curl to score an Olimpico that doubled the Bears’ lead.

But the Cougars, playing their first-ever game being ranked, fought throughout the matchup. In the 62nd minute, after making a tackle, senior midfielder Danielle Shannon passed the ball to sophomore forward Samira Minor, before squaring it to sophomore forward Bailey Cate near the six-yard box, who tapped it past fifth-year goalkeeper Azul Alvarez for her eighth goal of the season.

But despite matching Baylor blow for blow with 16 shots, Houston did not find an equalizer in Waco.

The win seemed to give the Bears the Big 12 regular-season title, but BYU snatched it at the last moment with a 1-0 home win over Arizona State.

The Cougars now prepare for the Big 12 Tournament Nov. 9-14, where they will first take on Baylor again in the quarterfinals. A strong performance in the tourney would help Houston nab a spot in the NCAA tournament.

“You always try and hold your breath until you see your name on that screen. It’s nerve-wracking,” Williams said.