Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders Host Prairie View in NCAA Opening Round Match
November 13, 2014 | Women's Soccer
Nov. 13, 2014
For fans unable to attend the match, the entire contest will be shown for free on TexasTech.TV. Tickets are still on sale for the opening round match as prices are set at $7 for adults and $3 for youth (ages 2-12) as well as Texas Tech students. Tickets can be purchased from the Tech Ticket Office by calling 806-742-TECH or by visiting the ticket booth at the John Walker Soccer Complex entrance.
TEXAS TECH IN THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
? This will be Texas Tech's third-straight season to be selected to the NCAA Championship.
? Texas Tech is the No. 3 seed in its regional, marking the first time the Red Raiders have ever earned a national seed for the NCAA Championship.
? Texas Tech is 2-1-1 all-time in the NCAA Championship, including a perfect 2-0 in opening round matches.
? Texas Tech will be hosting the opening round match at the John Walker Soccer Complex for a third-straight season. The Red Raiders previously defeated North Texas in 2012 and Minnesota a year ago.
? The Red Raiders have not allowed a goal in either of their two previous opening round matches as Texas Tech defeated North Texas, 2-0, in 2012 and then routed Minnesota, 3-0, last season.
? Texas Tech has averaged 1,430 fans in its two previous stints hosting an NCAA opening round match at the John Walker Soccer Complex.
? Friday night will mark Texas Tech's first ever postseason match against a member of the SWAC Conference.
? Texas Tech has scored at least two goals in all four of its previous NCAA Championship matches.
TEXAS TECH IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Texas Tech remained at No. 16 in the NSCAA/Continental Tire top-25 poll for the second-straight week on Tuesday. The Red Raiders, who enter the NCAA Championship riding a five-match unbeaten streak, have been ranked in the poll all season, appearing as high as No. 6 in the rankings on Sept. 16. The No. 6 ranking, a spot Tech held for two full weeks, was the highest in school history. Tech has now been in the NSCAA top-25 poll for a school-record 23-consecutive weeks dating back to the 2013 season. The Red Raiders are also 16th in the latest poll by Top Drawer Soccer and 18th in the rankings compiled by Soccer America.
INSIDE THE PRAIRIE VIEW A&M SERIES
Texas Tech will be facing Prairie View A&M for the second time in school history on Friday afternoon as the two schools previously met in 2006. The Red Raiders won the only other previous contest in a 10-0 rout at Prairie View, tying the Texas Tech single-match record for goals in the process. Chessa Purser also snapped the Tech single-match record for individual goals and points as she found the back of the net five times while also adding an assist. Friday will mark Prairie View's first ever trip to Lubbock.
The Red Raiders are 3-0 all-time against members against current members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Texas Tech has faced Prairie View A&M (2006), Alabama A&M (2008) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2013) previously where the Red Raiders have combined to win by a margin of 23-0. Tech has scored at least five goals in all three previous contest, including eight a year ago when facing Arkansas-Pine Bluff. This will be the first time Tech has ever faced a SWAC member in the NCAA Championship.
RED RAIDERS BACK IN THE POSTSEASON ONCE AGAIN
Over the span of the past three seasons, the Texas Tech soccer program has established a new tradition - advancing to the NCAA Championship. Prior to 2012, the Red Raiders had not previously been selected to tournament in the history of the program. Texas Tech is one of two Big 12 programs to advance to the postseason in each of the past three seasons (West Virginia is the other).
RED RAIDERS SCORE BIG CROWDS IN THE POSTSEASON
Over the past five seasons, the John Walker Soccer Complex has transformed into one of the top spots in the country to watch a collegiate soccer match. With crowds averaging over 1,000 fans per match, the Red Raiders have ranked among the top 25 teams nationally in attendance each of the past four seasons and will more than likely add to that figure again this year. As great as Red Raider fans have been during the regular season, they have also flocked to the complex in the postseason, averaging 1,430 fans in Tech's two previous NCAA opening round matches. Texas Tech boasted the second-highest attendance for a first round match in 2012 when 1,738 fans, the sixth-largest crowd in school history, attended the tournament opener against North Texas.
#BIG12STRONG
A total of six Big 12 squads were selected this season for the NCAA Championship, the conference's most since 2008. All six Big 12 schools will host first-round contests, the second-highest total among all conferences. The six NCAA bids by the Big 12 this season are tied for third among all conferences as the league finished as the No. 2 rated conference in the nation in the final RPI rankings.
RED RAIDERS WELL RESTED
After the wear and tear of an 18-match regular season, Texas Tech will enter the NCAA Championship well rested as Friday evening's tournament opener will be only the second contest for the Red Raiders since the Oct. 26 regular season finale against Iowa State. Tech previously faced Texas on Nov. 5 after waiting over a week before opening the Big 12 Championship in Kansas City. Since facing Iowa State on Oct. 26, the Red Raiders have waited 19 total days with just one match during that span prior to Friday night's contest against Prairie View A&M.
