Texas Tech Set to Host Red Raider Classic
September 16, 2009 | Women's Soccer
Sept. 16, 2009
LUBBOCK, Texas - Off to its best start since 1997, Texas Tech returns to the John Walker Soccer Complex this weekend to face Alabama at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Weber State at 1:30 p.m. Sunday as part of the Red Raider Classic.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 18
Match 1: TCU vs. Weber State - 5 p.m.
Match 2: Texas Tech vs. Alabama - 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 20
Match 1: TCU vs. Alabama - 11 a.m.
Match 2: Texas Tech vs. Weber State - 1:30 p.m.
THE ALABAMA SERIES
This is the first meeting between the two schools.
SCOUTING ALABAMA
After opening the season with consecutive losses to UAB and Samford, the Crimson Tide have won two of its last three matches. Alabama has struggled on the offensive end so far, as the Red Raiders have two players, Dawn Ward and Brittney Harrison, who have more goals (5 each) as the entire Crimson Tide team (8). Taylor Lytle's eight assists is also one more than Alabama's team total.
The Crimson Tide return 11 letterwinners, including eight starters, from head coach Todd Bramble's first season, where Bama finished 9-9-2 overall and fourth in the SEC West division. Victoria Frederick leads the squad with three goals, while also sharing the team high of two assists. Justine Bernier has played every minute in goal, collecting 18 saves while posting a .625 save percentage.
RED RAIDERS AGAINST THE SEC
The Red Raiders are a combined 4-6 all-time against SEC opponents. Tech will be playing its third-consecutive match against an SEC school as the Red Raiders topped Vanderbilt, 3-1, last Friday before falling to Auburn, 3-2, on Sunday.
THE WEBER STATE SERIES
This is the second-career meeting between the two schools, with Weber State taking the previous match, 1-0, in 2004. This is the first time the Wildcats have traveled to Lubbock.
SCOUTING WEBER STATE
Following a 4-0 start to its season, including a win at then-ranked No. 21 Utah, Weber State dropped its first match last weekend at UTEP as the Wildcats sit 4-1 entering the Red Raider Classic. Similar to Alabama, Weber State has netted seven goals while adding seven assists, both less than the combined goal total of Dawn Ward and Brittney Harrison and the assists of Taylor Lytle.
Despite a 9-10-2 overall record a year ago, the Wildcats captured the Big Sky regular-season title before eventually falling in the conference tournament championship match. Jessie Baddley and Roxy Tebbs lead the team with two goals each, while Rebecca Ritchie has played every minute in goal, collecting 42 saves with only three goals allowed for a .933 save percentage. Tim Crompton is in his fifth season with the Wildcats, posting a 51-41-12 record in that time.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT - Conner Williams
Conner Williams (pictured above) netted her first two collegiate goals last weekend at the Auburn Soccer Complex, with her first sealing a 3-1 victory over No. 25 Vanderbilt. Williams, whose actual name of Sara "Conner" Williams earned her the nickname of "Terminator" in the preseason, added her second goal in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the host Tigers.
RECAPPING LAST WEEKEND
The Red Raiders wrapped their six-match road trip last weekend at the Auburn Soccer Complex with a 3-1 win over No. 25 Vanderbilt Friday night, before falling to the host Tigers, 3-2, Sunday. Tech's win over Vandy was its first over an opponent ranked in any poll since the 2007 season.
LOOKING AHEAD
Texas Tech continues its six-match home stand next weekend with the start of Big 12 play against Iowa State at 7 p.m. Sept. 25. The Red Raiders wrap the conference-opening weekend with a 1 p.m. match against Nebraska that Sunday.
STONE, BRAMBLE REUNITE THIS WEEKEND
Tom Stone and Todd Bramble will be on the same field for the first time since 2006 this weekend, but this time the two will not be sharing the same bench. Bramble, in his second year at Alabama, was previously the head coach at Clemson from 2001-2007, where he gave Stone his first college job in 2006 as an assistant coach that eventually led to his hiring at Tech the following season. Current Bama assistant Tatum Clowney was the volunteer assistant for the Lady Tigers during that time. Clemson's 2006 squad finished 11-8-5 and advanced to the Final Eight of the NCAA Championship.
RED RAIDERS SECOND IN BIG 12 IN OFFENSE
Texas Tech enters the weekend second in the Big 12 in total points in goals. Dawn Ward and Brittney Harrison are both tied for third with five goals each, while Lytle leads the conference in assists with eight, twice the number of any other Big 12 player.
LYTLE NATIONAL ASSIST LEADER
Taylor Lytle has quickly put her spectacular freshman season in the back of many minds with her start to the 2009 season. The sophomore from Las Cruces, N.M., enters the weekend as the national assist leader with eight, which is already one shy of matching the Tech single-season record. Only 26 matches into her college career, Lytle is among the top three on the school's career assist chart and needs two more to tie Kristi Patterson for second all-time with 18.
HARRISON CLUTCH WITH MATCH ON THE LINE
Already among the best players in school history, Brittney Harrison continues to build her resume as the senior netted her 10th career game-winning goal against Vanderbilt. Harrison has had the game-winning goal in each of Tech's four wins this year. She is now one game-winner away from matching the Tech single-season record, while also tying Kristi Patterson for the career record of 11.
RED RAIDERS OFF TO BEST START SINCE 1997
Texas Tech's 4-3 start to its season is its best since 1997, when the Red Raiders opened with two losses to begin the year before rallying to win four of the next five matches.
FETE, WILLIAMS NET FIRST CAREER GOALS
Sophomore Maggie Fete and freshman Conner Williams both added their first career goals last weekend at the Auburn Soccer Classic. Williams' goal against Vanderbilt sealed Tech's victory over the 25th-ranked Commodores, while Fete's goal began Tech's comeback just before halftime against the host Tigers.
RED RAIDERS IN EXTRA MINUTES
Tech has already equaled its total of overtime matches from last season, as Tech defeated TCU, 4-3, in double-overtime Sept. 4, before falling to North Texas, 2-1, in the first overtime period Sept. 6. The Red Raiders are now 3-2-3 in overtime matches under head coach Tom Stone. Tech had previously not lost a regular-season overtime match under Stone.
WARD OFF TO STRONG START
Dawn Ward is the first Red Raider to start her career, yet alone a season, with at least a goal in the first four matches. Ward currently shares the team-high with five goals, which is ranked third in the Big 12 behind Oklahoma's Whitney Palmer.
TECH SCORING GOALS IN RECORD NUMBERS
The Red Raiders' 16 goals through its first five matches is the most by a Tech team during that stretch since the 1995 season which opened with 18 goals. Tech currently has 21 goal on the season. The school record for most goals in a single season is 53, set in 1996.
WIKELIUS ENJOYING PLAYING TIME
After battling with junior Colleen Pitts throughout the preseason and the first few weeks of the season, freshman goalkeeper Erin Wikelius has played every minute in Tech's last five matches. Wikelius has collected 28 saves, while surrendering 12 goals on the season.
DON'T FORGET ABOUT ELLISON
With all the success of Dawn Ward, Taylor Lytle and Brittney Harrison, the name possibly forgotten in Tech's success is freshman Sarah Ellison. The former New Mexico Player of the Year finalist has three goals and an assist and has become a consistent force off the bench.
SMITH NETS FIRST CAREER GOAL
A match after earning her first career point, Tiffini Smith connected on her first collegiate goal against North Texas. The true freshman pulled Tech to a 1-1 tie with 15 minutes to play in regulation.
