5 takeaways from Aggie soccer's Friday spring exhibition

Bobby Shuttlesworth’s perfect start at Aggieland continued as Texas A&M soccer throttled Lamar 6-0 on Friday afternoon. The Aggies have now outscored opponents 12-0 in their first three spring matches under Shuttlesworth.

Here are some takeaways from Friday’s match at Ellis Field.

1. Welcome to the Ireland Churchill show

Have yourself a day, Ireland Churchill!. The freshman from Eastvale, California, recorded three assists and a goal in Friday’s 6-0 domination.

Her three assists came within the first 30 minutes, while her goal in the second period pushed the Aggies ahead 4-0.

Churchill’s brilliance was on full display in her first assist. After taking down the ball on the right flank and leaving a couple defenders in the dust, she delivered a perfect low cross for a Bailey Cate tap-in. More than half of that goal could be attributed to the freshman.

Her third assist came in a similar fashion, this time on the left wing. After a strong buildup, Churchill once again beat her defender and delivered another low cross, this time to Leah Diaz, who finished it off.

In a sport where electrifying attackers make the difference, Shuttlesworth has found one in Churchill. Good luck trying to stop her.

2. Bailey Cate’s hat trick

Cate’s first two goals came within the opening 20 minutes, while she completed her hat trick in the final period. All three goals came off crosses, indicating that Cate could be a true threat around the box.

If you were worried about last season’s offensive woes continuing, the 2026 Aggies appear as though they will not struggle to find the back of the net.

Three spring games into the Shuttleworth era, the Aggies have outscored opponents 12-0. A&M blanked Dallas Baptist 2-0 on March 21 and smashed Texas Tech last Saturday, 4-0.

This team has all the makings of a fun group to watch.

Cooper Daniels, TexAgs

Bailey Cate appeared in 14 of Texas A&M’s 17 matches in 2025, playing in 229 minutes.

3. Backline of three → Backline of four

If you are wondering how Shuttlesworth likes to line up, this is the best way to describe their shape:

When defending, the Aggies lined up in a 3-3-1-3 formation. A three-person backline with two wingers anchored by a defensive mid. That structure allows flexibility, as those wide players can drop back to form a back five when needed.

As soon as A&M won the ball, that backline would morph into a back four with the left winger coming in as a left back and the right center back moving to become another right back.

This shift opened up passing lanes across the pitch, allowing the Aggies to move the ball freely while giving their attackers the freedom to roam.

That freedom was especially evident with Diaz and Churchill, who consistently moved across the pitch to find space and create favorable matchups.

4. Tight defense to build up an attack

Shuttleworth’s team has a clear identity: Defend aggressively and build through possession.

A three-back system usually suggests a more cautious approach on offense. That is not the case for Shuttleworth’s side.

There was no reliance on long balls to relieve pressure and sit back defensively. Instead, as soon as the Aggies won possession, they spread the field and built out of the back, using ball movement to find their attackers.

The third goal perfectly captured that identity.

A&M worked the ball across its backline before threading a penetrating pass through the midfield line to Diaz, who quickly laid it off. Trinity Buchanan picked it up and linked with Churchill in the final third. The freshman took on her defender and drove a low cross across the box, setting up Diaz for the finish.

While the offense will be fun to watch, the strength of this team will reside in the back.

5. Backline + Bella James domination

It’s still early, but there are already signs of who will be the starters across the backline.

Only five players started in all three periods. Riley Crooks, Kat Campbell, Emma Hoang and Holly Storer on defense with Bella James as the defensive mid anchor.

Will Huffman, TexAgs

Bella James made eight starts as a sophomore in 2025.

Building chemistry this early will be key, especially with the elite competition ahead in the SEC.

On top of that, the Aggies looked physically imposing. They consistently won aerial duels and 50-50 balls, which helps explain why they have yet to concede a goal.

James was especially impressive as she played scrappy, physical soccer all night.

Every great team has one of those players. Madrid had it with Casemiro. France had it with N’Golo Kanté. Argentina had it with Rodrigo De Paul. You get the point. Having a “destroyer” — someone who disrupts the flow of the opponent’s attack — is essential to being an elite team. And the Aggies have it in James.