Soccer Opens Home Conference Season This Weekend
September 26, 2000 | Women's Soccer
Sept. 26, 2000
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Upcoming for the Red Raiders...
The Red Raiders open home conference action this weekend when they host Oklahoma and Oklahoma State at R.P. Fuller Stadium. Friday's match with Oklahoma starts at 4 p.m., while Sunday's match against the Cowgirls of Oklahoma State kicks off at 1 p.m.
Tech split with the two squads last season on the road, dropping a 2-1 decision to Oklahoma State on October 15. Jamie Woods scored the only Red Raider goal in that match.
The Red Raiders came back two days later to defeat Oklahoma in Norman, 1-0, on a goal from current junior Carrie Graham. Defender Kelly Taylor assisted on the only goal of the match. The victory was the only road conference win for Tech last season.
Tech has never lost to Oklahoma, sporting a 3-0 all-time record versus the Sooners with victories in 1997, `98 and `99. The only home match for Tech in the series came in 1998, a 3-0 win, as Kristy Frantz scored once and Amy Rutstein twice in the victory.
The Red Raiders hold a 3-1 all-time record against the Cowgirls, winning three straight before dropping last year's decision. Tech is 2-0 at R.P. Fuller Stadium against Oklahoma State, including a 2-1 win in 1998 and a 3-0 decision in 1996.
Tech Drops Conference Opener at No. 10 Texas A&M
Aggies score early to take control of match
Texas Tech yielded a Texas A&M goal in the fourth minute of action and the 10th-ranked Aggies never looked back, handing the Red Raiders a 3-0 loss in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams. The match was played at College Station.
Texas A&M's Anne Tamporello scored on a Heather Ragsdale assist 3:23 into the match. Ragsdale added a goal (unassisted) of her own at 22:18 to put the Aggies up 2-0 less than halfway through the first period. The Red Raiders never recovered.
"We gave up a goal early in the first half," Red Raider head coach Felix Oskam said. "I told our players the first 10 minutes are very important, but that's what happened. You can't afford to give away goals against A&M. You have to make them earn it.
"We had chances in the first five minutes of the second half," Oskam added. "We have to do better. The effort was there, but it's been frustrating. We have to keep working."
Oskam noted midfielder Monica Miller and goalkeeper Brittney Peese as having good games. Miller joined two other Red Raiders with two shots on the night, while Peese stopped eight Texas A&M shots.
The Aggies outshot the Red Raiders 20-9 and attempted seven corner kicks to Tech's one.
Texas Hands Tech Second Straight Defeat
Longhorns score twice in second half for 3-0 victory
The Texas Tech soccer team suffered its second straight shutout as the squad fell victim to the Texas Longhorns 3-0 on Sunday afternoon in Austin.
The Longhorns and Red Raiders battled for 41 minutes without a score until Texas sophomore Michelle Wickwire beat Tech goalkeeper Brittney Peese at 41:02. The goal gave Texas a 1-0 lead at halftime.
Texas got two more goals in the second half to hand the Red Raiders their second straight conference loss after falling to Texas A&M on Friday. Monica Miller led the way for Tech with two shots on goal, while five other players each tallied one.
"We played well in the first half, until we gave up a goal with six minutes left to play," Tech head coach Felix Oskam said. "In the second half, I thought we would take it to them (Texas). I guess we just stopped playing. We have to find a way for people to put the ball in the net and play for 90 minutes."
Texas goalie Shay Wilkerson stopped all seven Tech shots on goal, as the Red Raiders fired often, but could not find the back of the net against the Longhorns. Tech keeper Peese made three saves in the match, as the Longhorns had only six shots on goal.
Graham, Loyd Earn All-Tournament Honors
Tech junior forward Carrie Graham and freshman defender Tracy Loyd were each named to the all-tournament team at the LSU Invitational.
The Red Raiders dropped both matches in the tournament, losing 2-1 to host LSU on Friday, September 1, before suffering a tough 1-0 defeat to Mississippi on Sunday, September 3.
Graham had one assist and took seven shots in two matches, while Loyd played solid in both matches of the tournament against the Tigers and Rebels.
Boyea Named High School Female Athlete of the Year
Freshmen Tech soccer player Tiana Boyea was named the Female High School Athlete of the Year during a ceremony hosted by the Texas Shootout Classic 2000 in August.
Boyea, a 2000 graduate of Plano East Senior High School, has a long list of academic and athletic accomplishments, including graduating in the top 25 percent of her class with a 3.5 grade-point average. She also received recognition in Algebra and English, was a Venture Scholar, and was recognized in Who's Who Among American High School Students while at Plano East. She was also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in high school.
Her athletic achievements include serving as team captain for both the varsity and junior varsity, JV Top Defensive Player, four varsity soccer letters (1997-2000), District 9-5A Second Team in 1998 and 1999, North Texas State Cup Finalist from 1997-99, and District 9-5A Co-Champions in 1999. She has also participated in the Region III Olympic Development Program State Pool from 1996-2000, was selected MVP of the Oklahoma Cup as a member of the Texas Spirit `83 select squad, and served as captain of her select team the last two years.
This was the eighth annual event hosted by the Texas Shootout Classic, which brings recognition to one female and one male high school athlete from the state of Texas. Candidates must meet the committee's expectations for athletic and academic excellence, as well as being recognized as a positive role model for young people through leadership activities, attitude and lifestyle. The event also helps to raise funds for local and national charitable organizations. This year's proceeds were donated to the National Tuberous Sclerosis Association.
Red Raiders Picked Ninth in Coaches Poll
Texas Tech was picked to finish ninth in the preseason Big 12 coaches poll. TTU accumulated 30 points in the voting. Nebraska tallied 10 first-place votes and 100 points to lead the poll, with Texas A&M gathering the other first-place vote and 90 points.
The Red Raiders finished the 1999 season in eighth place, advancing to the conference tournament for the second time in four seasons. Tech lost, 1-0, to eventual tourney champion Nebraska at the Big 12 Tournament.
Red Raiders Win Home Opener
The Texas Tech Red Raiders beat West Texas A&M in their home debut, 3-2, at R.P. Fuller Stadium on Thursday, September 14th. Melanie Brosnahan (Junior - Plano, Texas) had two goals and one assist, earning her first points of the 2000 season.
Trailing 2-1 at halftime, Tech quickly responded early in the second half as Brosnahan crossed the ball to Lindsey Wile (Sophomore - Austin, Texas), who headed the ball into the net for her third goal of the year. Brosnahan then scored the game-winning goal by running onto a ball in the box and shooting past the West Texas A&M goalkeeper during the 77th minute of play. The 3-2 outcome was the same result as last year, with the Red Raiders coming out on top.
Freshmen Attack!!!
Head Coach Felix Oskam started six freshman against West Texas A&M. Ellen McNamara (Dallas, Texas), Tracy Loyd (Lubbock, Texas), Tiana Boyea (Plano, Texas), Monica Miller (Albuquerque, N.M.), Lindsey Scott (Wylie, Texas), and Ali Jepson (Portland, Ore.) have already seen significant playing time in their first eight games. With a strong nucleus of young players, the future looks bright for the Texas Tech Women's Soccer program.
R.P. Fuller Stadium to get lights in 2001
Head Coach Felix Oskam is proud to announce that R.P. Fuller Stadium, home of the Women's Soccer Team, will add lights sometime this year. Construction should be finished by the time the Red Raiders open play for the 2001 season. Night games will be a great addition for Texas Tech not only by increasing attendance, but also in creating a great climate in which to play soccer.
Head Coach Felix Oskam
Felix Oskam enters the 2000 season with a three-year record of 22-29-4. Previously, Oskam had served as an assistant coach for the team during the 1995 and 1996 seasons.
Prior to coming to Tech in 1995, Oskam served for three years as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's programs at the University of Tulsa. During the 1993 season, the Tulsa women's program finished ranked 18th in the nation. In 1991, the Tulsa men's team achieved a national ranking of 17th. Oskam is currently a staff coach and instructor for the North Texas Soccer Association and the Region III Olympic Development Program (ODP). He also worked as a staff coach for the ODP in Oklahoma and coached the Blackwatch `80 girls select team in Tulsa.
Oskam played 12 years of club soccer in the Netherlands before attending the University of North Texas. While at North Texas, he helped guide the Eagles to their first national ranking and was twice chosen as a Texas Collegiate Soccer League All-Star.
Oskam holds a United States Soccer Federation "A" license and is a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Tech Battles Through 1999 Season
The 1999 campaign started and ended with a national and conference powerhouse on the schedule, and in-between, a slew of tough opponents that challenged and demanded great play from every member of head coach Felix Oskam's squad.
The Red Raiders began the season with a hardfought, 1-0 defeat to Nebraska, a difficult task to open any campaign with a conference road match. Tech bounced back to win three of four conference matches later in the campaign, defeating then seventh-ranked Texas A&M, 1-0, in Lubbock.
The 8-11-1 final record included a 5-3 mark at home and a 4-6 record in the Big 12. The victory over the Aggies, as well as a 3-0 defeat of Texas, came during a stretch of four wins in five games, three of those in the conference.
Seven Raiders Earn Academic Honors
Seven Red Raiders earned academic honors from the Big 12 conference in 1999, including four current team members.
Seniors Lindsay Thompson and Kelly Taylor, as well as juniors Brittney Peese and Marie Valdez, all earned First Team Academic All-Big 12 honors after last season.
Thompson, a 5-4 midfielder from Houston, Texas, garnered the award for the second straight year. She is a psychology major.
Taylor, the 5-6 defender from Tulsa, Okla., also earned the honor for the second consecutive season. Taylor majors in history.
Peese majors in history and anthropology, and Valdez looks to earn a degree in biology. Peese played in 17 matches in `99, posting a 1.94 goals-against-average in net. She made 76 saves and allowed 34 goals.
Valdez played in 18 matches with two starts, recording one goal and one assist for the season.
Junior Melanie Brosnahan also earned first-team honors in both of her seasons at the University of Oklahoma before transferring to Texas Tech.
14 Red Raiders Named to Commissioner's Honor Roll
Fourteen Red Raiders were named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll after the 1999 season, including nine current members of the squad.
Among those honored included departed team members Jennifer Alfred, Lizzy Biles, Jennifer Hronek, Kellie McAllister and Ashlyn Peterson.
Current team members named to the Commissioner's Honor Roll were goalkeepers JoDee Campbell and Brittney Peese, forwards Carrie Graham, Debra Smith and Marie Valdez, midfielders Lindsay Thompson and Lindsey Wile, and defenders Ana Ontiveroz and Kelly Taylor.
Next Home Match
The Red Raiders take on in-state rival Baylor in their next match at R.P. Fuller Stadium. Tech and the Bears square off Sunday, October 15, at 1 p.m.
Tech's remaining home matches come against Iowa State and Nebraska on Friday, October 20 and Sunday, October 22, respectively. The ISU match begins at 3 p.m., with the match versus the Cornhuskers starting at 1 p.m.