Tech Soccer Heads North to Face Kansas, Missouri
October 01, 2008 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 1, 2008
LUBBOCK, Texas -
Complete Release in PDF Format 
STARTING OFF...
After winning their first conference match of the season, the Texas Tech Soccer team faces its first true weekend on the road in Big 12 play, traveling to Kansas for a 4 p.m. Oct. 3 match and Missouri Oct. 5, beginning at 1 p.m.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Red Raiders return to the John Walker Soccer Complex next weekend to defend the Battle for the Brand trophy against Baylor Oct. 10, before hosting the nationally-ranked Texas Longhorns Oct. 12.
SCOUTING KANSAS
Kansas enters the weekend 7-3-0 overall and 1-1-0 in the Big 12, having defeated Iowa State, 3-2, and falling to Nebraska, 2-1, last weekend. The Jayhawks took last season's match, winning, 4-1, in Lubbock. The Red Raiders have not defeated Kansas since 2003 and have never won in Lawrence. Kansas is led by the combination of Monica Dolinsky, Emily Cressy and Kortney Clifton who combine to have 34 of the Jayhawks' 68 total points. Julie Hanley leads KU in goal as the junior has allowed 14 goals for a 1.43 goals-against average, while collecting 30 saves. The Jayhawks are coached by Mark Francis, who is in his ninth season at KU with an career record of 111-73-10.
SCOUTING MISSOURI
After splitting its matches to open conference last weekend, Missouri sits 6-3-0 overall and 1-1-0 in the Big 12. The Red Raiders fell to the Tigers twice last season, a 3-0 loss at home and a 4-3 double-overtime loss in the first round of the Big 12 Championship. In its last trip to Missouri in 2006, Tech defeated a then No. 17-ranked Tigers, 3-1, its first victory in Columbia since 1996. The Tigers are led offensively by Kristin Andrighetto and Alysha Bonnick, who combine for seven of MU's 17 goals. Tasha Dittamore has played every minute in goal, allowing only ten goals, while collecting four shutouts, which is tied with Tech's Tina Rincon for the conference lead. The Tigers are led by reigning Big 12 Coach of the Year Bryan Blitz, who is in his 13th season at Missouri.
KEEP AN EYE ON...JUNIOR Sarabeth Clopton
The vocal leader on the Red Raider backline, junior Sarabeth Clopton has already set career-highs in goals with three, totaling six points. A year after recording the second-highest total minutes, Clopton has started in all ten matches for Tech, playing a team-high 874 minutes.
RED RAIDERS EARN FIRST VICTORY OVER OKLAHOMA SINCE 2000
With Tech's 2-1 double-overtime win over Oklahoma last Sunday, the Red Raiders earned their first victory over the Sooners since 2000. Tech had also not won in overtime since 2005 and had never previously defeated a Big 12 opponent in overtime.
RINCON AMONG ALL-TIME BEST TECH GOALKEEPERS
Already the Tech all-time leader in career shutouts, senior goalkeeper is quickly making her way up another list for career saves. With 42 on the season, Rincon is now seven shy of Megan Knauss' 266 saves set from 2002 to 2005. Rincon's 42 saves is third in the Big 12, while her four shutouts are tied for the conference lead.
MIHELICH SEES FIRST ACTION OF SEASON
Sophomore transfer Leanne Mihelich saw her first action of the season last Sunday against Oral Roberts as she played a total of 60 minutes. Mihelich joins the Red Raiders from the University of Arkansas-Little Rock where she led the Trojans in goals (9) and points (22) as a freshman. Mihelich had previously been recovering from an ankle injury sustained in preseason practices.
McCALL MAKING HARRISON DECISION EASIER FOR STONE
Freshman defender Casey McCall is making Tech head coach Tom Stone's life easier not just by her play on the backline, but in his decision to keep Brittney Harrison playing forward for the time being. Known for her speed and aggression, McCall is one-for-one on shot attempts this season, netting her first career goal against Alabama A&M, while Harrison leads the Red Raiders with a Big 12 second-best seven goals.
TECH REMAINS No. 15 IN SOCCER BUZZ CENTRAL REGION
The Red Raiders remained ranked No. 15 in the Soccer Buzz Central Region poll for the fourth-consecutive week. Tech has be ranked as high as No. 13 in the poll this year. The Big 12 holds six of the top 10 spots in this weeks poll with Texas sitting atop the rankings. Tech has also received votes in the NSCAA/Adidas Central Region poll this season.
TECH SURPASSES 2007 GOAL TOTAL
Through 10 matches, the Red Raiders have netted 28 goals, which is already higher than their 2007 total of 22. The 18th-best scoring offense in the nation, Tech has had a player with multiple-goals in four matches, a feat only accomplished twice in 2007.
YELINEK AMONG CONFERENCE ASSIST LEADERS
Freshman Lauren Yelinek has a team-high five assists on the season, which is tied for second in the Big 12 and tops among conference freshmen. Making her figures look more impressive, Yelinek has done all this playing left-back, a position not naturally designed for high assist numbers.
RED RAIDERS OFF TO BEST START SINCE 1996
Tech resumes Big 12 play last weekend on its best start since the 1996 season that saw the Red Raiders begin the year 6-1-0. Tech entered last weekend at 5-2-1 overall and 0-1-0 in the Big 12. The Red Raiders' 5-1-1 non-conference schedule is a vast improvement of their 2-3-1 record last season, a goal of Tech head coach Tom Stone prior to the season. Tech has one non-conference match remaining, Oct. 26 against TCU.
STARTING QUICKER, SCORING MORE
The Red Raiders have scored 16 goals in the first half this season, 14 more than all of last season. The Red Raiders have scored within the first five minutes of the match five times this season, including Brittney Harrison's school-record goal only 12 seconds into the Alabama A&M match. Tech has scored in the first half in six of eight matches this season and is 5-1 in those matches.
