Texas Tech Athletics
Rice
Tech Shuts Out Rice to Open Season
August 19, 2011 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 19, 2011
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech women's soccer team opened its season Friday with its fourth-straight season opening shutout with a 1-0 shutout victory in front of 1,215 fans at the John Walker Soccer Complex.
"First of all Rice played well and we had to earn this one down the stretch so I was very pleased to see us get the winner in a game that we really could not have afforded to lose," head coach Tom Stone said after the match. "We made it clear at the half that we had to be better and get after their backline. Our forwards really put some pressure on them in the second which ultimately brought us the goal. "
Tiffini Smith scored the game-winning goal in the 64th minute off a rebound of a Jessica Fuston shot.
"Fuston was a warrior tonight and I am very happy for Tiffini Smith, who has been searching for her game - I would say she found it tonight," Stone said.
The rebound came off after Fuston had a one-on-one setup by a beautiful pass from freshman Paige Strahan. Strahan made her first start of the career.
Making her first start of her career at Tech, Victoria Esson made five huge saves on the night to notch her first shutout. Esson showed her skills as Rice was on a breakaway looking to tie the match. She came to the top of the box and stood up the attacker and dove at her feet to grab the ball and take the threat away.
"Victoria had a tremendous opening game for us," Stone said. "Her top-hand save in the first half was pure class and she was on fire the rest of the way. In the second half, her breakaway save literally saved the game for us. We rarely give up breakaways but thankfully Victoria was all over it. The thing with Victoria is that she has been in a lot of high level games and her maturity and experience showed today."
The previous three opening shutouts were against Lamar (4-0) in 2008, UTSA (5-0) in 2009 and TCU (3-0) in 2010 all under Stone.
The Red Raiders take the pitch again on Sunday, Aug., 21 at 7 p.m. against New Mexico State.
