Texas Tech University Athletics
Tech Soccer Hosts No. 6 Missouri in Conference Home Opener
October 03, 2007 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 3, 2007
LUBBOCK, Texas -
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Texas Tech vs. Missouri Fri., Oct. 5, 7 p.m.
Texas Tech vs. Kansas Sun., Oct. 7, 1 p.m.
ON TAP FOR THE RED RAIDERS
Following a strong start in conference play, Texas Tech resumes Big 12 action this weekend against No. 6 Missouri on Fri., Oct. 5, and the Jayhawks of Kansas Sun., Oct. 7, at R.P. Fuller Stadium.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Friday's match-up will be the 13th all-time between Missouri and Tech, with the Tigers holding the overall advantage, 7-5. The Red Raiders won last year's match, 3-1, in Columbia. The Tigers opened conference play perfectly defeating previously No. 3 ranked Texas A&M, 3-2, in double-overtime and Baylor, 4-2.
SCOUTING THE JAYHAWKS
Tech enters Sunday's match riding a three-game losing streak against the Jayhawks. The Red Raiders are 3-8 all-time against Kansas and have lost seven of the last eight matches. After finishing fourth in the Big 12 last season, Kansas has had a rough start this year. The Jayhawks began conference play last week with a 2-2 tie with Baylor and 5-1 loss to Texas A&M.
RED RAIDERS UNDER NEW DIRECTION
Following a stint as an assistant at Clemson, Tom Stone comes to Texas Tech for his first season as a collegiate head coach. This is not Stone's first time to be a head coach, however. He led the Atlanta Beat of the WUSA for all three years of its existence from 2001-2003. Stone has also worked as the lead soccer analyst for CSTV, Fox Sports and ESPN, while also serving as a guest columnist for various soccer websites.
ESQUIVEL TAKING ON "IRON MAN" ROLE
Despite being one of the most accomplished players in Red Raider soccer history, perhaps the most encouraging feature about senior Priscilla Esquivel is her leadership. According to Stone, the driving force behind the Red Raiders success has been Esquivel's ability to make plays across the field playing numerous positions and her resilience to never give up.
ESQUIVEL MOVING UP CAREER GOALS LIST
Through eight matches this season, senior Priscilla Esquivel has two goals tying her for the team lead with Emmie Bennett. The Fort Worth native has 12 career goals and is three from tying Julie Clement and Melanie Brosnahan for fifth place overall.
THE GREAT WALL
Junior goalkeeper Tina Rincon posted her second-consecutive shutout last Friday at Colorado. Rincon now has six career shutouts, which moves her into a tie for third on the school's all-time list with Lizzie Pruitt. The Carrollton, Texas, native has allowed one goal in the last 290 minutes. Rincon is 16 saves from passing Beth Lippert for third place on the school's career all-time saves list. Rincon has only allowed four goals in the last six games.
HARRISON KEEPING BIG 12's TOP PLAYERS IN CHECK
Despite playing two of the conference's top forwards last weekend in Texas' Kelsey Carpenter and Colorado's Nikki Marshall, the Red Raiders were able to hold the two teams to one goal combined due to the strong defensive effort by sophomore Brittney Harrison. As a freshman, Harrison was used as a forward and led the Red Raiders in scoring, but has adapted well to her new position under new head coach Tom Stone.
RED RAIDERS SURVIVING AS THE "LONE RANGER"
Once every 10 years, a Big 12 school has to play two conference games each weekend, while its Sunday opponent only has to play one. This season is Tech's year to be the "Lone Ranger", but the Red Raiders seem to be adapting well in holding No. 3 Texas to just one goal last Sunday. Tech's future Sunday opponents include No. 22 Oklahoma State and No. 6 Texas A&M.
DID YOU KNOW?
- The last time the Red Raiders held Texas to one goal or less before last Sunday was in 1999 at R.P. Fuller Stadium.
- The Red Raiders have entered halftime tied at nil the last three matches.
- Junior goalkeeper Tina Rincon also posted two straight shutouts last year to begin the season against Texas-San Antonio and TCU.
- All of Tech's ten goals have come in the second half.
GOALS BY COMMITTEE
Through eight matches, the Red Raiders have followed a goal by committee approach. In the UTSA match, four different players scored goals, one of which was sophomore Jennifer Kammerer's first career. Eight different players have goals, with sophomore Emmie Bennett and senior Priscilla Esquivel leading the team with two each.
DE LEON, CDEBACA PROVIDING SPARK AS FRESHMEN
In only their first season on campus, freshmen Karen De Leon and Halie Cdebaca have contributed early in the season. De Leon scored her first career goal against UTSA, while Cdebaca has been a consistent threat playing both the defender and mid-fielder positions.
FROM THE METROPLEX TO LUBBOCK
Of the Red Raiders' 21 players, 11 hail from the Dallas Metroplex making the September weekend trip to face TCU and SMU a homecoming of sorts. Additionally, all three Red Raider coaches grew up in the Dallas area. Before their hire at Tech, assistants Aaron and Ashley Gordon directed and coached the youth soccer club FC Dallas.
CYPERT NAMED CHICK-FIL-A COMMUNITY CHAMPION
For her work off the field, senior forward Kim Cypert was named the Big 12 Conference's Chick-Fil-A Community Champion on the Sept. 15 edition of FSN's Big 12 Showcase. Besides being a regular on the President's and Dean's list, Cypert is involved with Habitat for Humanity and the American Cancer Society.
