Members of the UTSA women’s soccer team were scattered around their bench area. Some players participated in an odd-looking post-match exercise where they walked around bare-footed and on their tiptoes. Others sat on the ground, their emotions on their faces.

The tears served a dual purpose. On one hand, they illustrated heartbreak. On the other, they displayed the possibility.

The Roadrunners held their own against nationally-ranked Memphis before falling 1-0 Thursday in an American Athletic Conference showdown between teams that a year ago advanced to the NCAA tournament at Park West Complex.

The contest was UTSA’s first at home vs. a nationally-ranked opponent. Memphis is ranked No. 9 in Top Drawer Soccer and No. 12 by United Soccer Coaches, and is the third-highest ranked team that the Roadrunners have faced in their history. They lost at No. 2 Portland in the NCAA tournament in 2010 and vs. No. 5 North Carolina in a non-conference matchup in Austin in 2015.

“I feel like we went toe-to-toe with them,” UTSA junior defender Haley Lopez said. “We definitely could’ve tied, even won, I believe. It’s just unfortunate unlucky.”

Memphis (8-1 overall, 2-0 in AAC), which reached the Sweet 16 of last year’s national tournament before falling to Arkansas on penalty kicks, entered Thursday’s contest riding a high-powered offense that averaged 3.12 goals and 20 shots per game.

Paced by freshman goalkeeper Jasmine Kessler and defenders Sasjah Dade, Deja Sandoval, Sabrina Hillyer and Lopez, Memphis was limited to one goal and nearly half its average shot attempts (11).

“It was a tough game,” Memphis fifth-year senior forward Mya Jones said. “They had a pretty good block going on, so it was pretty hard to get any shots off. But sometimes all you need is one.”

And what a shot it was for the Tigers, whose lone loss this season was a 2-1 setback to No. 7 Alabama.

After receiving a throw-in from Jones, Saoria Miller and Jones then worked a give-and-do, with the former finding an opening at the right side of the penalty area and putting in a blast that UTSA coach Derek Pittman called a “wonder strike” into the upper left corner with a little more than two minutes left before halftime.

“They caught us off-guard on that one,” Lopez said. “I think we were really successful overall; it’s just unfortunate they got that one chance and capitalized on it.”

UTSA (5-4-2, 0-1-1) wasn’t as fortunate in finding a goal of its own. The Roadrunners kept Memphis’ defense on its heels in the early going but went scoreless for the third match in a row.

“I think we’re working on trying to produce more in the final third and creating more chances offensively, but they’re a really good side,” UTSA fifth-year senior Alissa Stewart said. “I think the stats may say one thing, but we know what we say in the locker room is true and we still believe in ourselves, no matter what. I feel like if we’re able to put up a fight with one of the best in the country, we can put up a fight with anyone. It’s going to be huge for us just keeping that mindset and being optimistic all through the season.”