Texas Tech to Face Auburn in NCAA Second Round
November 19, 2015 | Women's Soccer
Nov. 19, 2015
The 15th-ranked Red Raiders advanced to the second round of play in the NCAA Championship for the fourth consecutive year. The Red Raiders, who defeated Conference USA tournament champion North Texas in the opening round of play, will face Auburn in a rematch of last year's second round at Seminole Soccer Complex in Tallahassee, Fla., at 1 p.m. CT Friday afternoon.
The Red Raiders will enter the match on a six match winning streak dating back to October, 23. The Tigers enter Friday's contest after getting past Southeastern Louisiana 1-0 in their opening round match. The Tigers finished fourth in the SEC regular season standings after finishing with 14 wins in regular season play. Auburn fought to a 2-2 tie with No. 16 South Carolina to open the SEC Championship, but after advancing on PK's was ousted by No. 6 Florida in the second round 2-0. Texas Tech and Auburn will make the trip to Tallahassee, the host site of overall No. 1 seed, and top-ranked, Florida State.
INSIDE THE AUBURN SERIES
Texas Tech and Auburn will be meeting for the fourth time in program history on Friday night. After falling to the Tigers in the first two meetings between the schools, Texas Tech muscled out a win in the last year's second round match to advance the Red Raiders to their first ever Sweet-16 appearance. The Tigers will be eager to return the favor in this year's match as they are still looking for a third round berth in the NCAA Championship. Friday's match also marks the fourth meeting between the Red Raiders and a team from the SEC in NCAA Championship play. Tech will enter the match dead even at 1-1-1 against SEC conference opponents.
TEXAS TECH IN NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY
Texas Tech is making its fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championship. This season marks the fourth consecutive Time Texas Tech has hosted an NCAA first round match. The Red Raiders are 5-2-1 all time in the NCAA championship, including a 4-0 mark in opening round matches. Texas Tech made its deepest run in the NCAA Tournament last season when the Red Raiders advanced to the Sweet-16 for the first time in program history. Texas Tech rallied to beat Auburn in Gainesville, Florida 2-1 to advance to the third round of play, but fell in the Sweet 16 to No. 2 seed Florida. Texas Tech's run last season was the longest postseason run by any of the six Big 12 teams represented in last season's postseason.
TEXAS TECH IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Texas Tech Red Raiders have been ranked in the NSCAA top-25 every week this season reaching their highest rank of No. 13 on October 5th. The Red Raiders, who finished last season with a 13-4-2 record, entered the 2015 season ranked No. 15. After suffering a loss in their first weekend of play, the Red Raiders went on the nation's longest unbeaten streak. The 12 match streak led to TTU climbing in the rankings for five consecutive weeks before Tech suffered their first loss in 50 days dropping the Red Raiders to No. 17. This week, the red Raiders occupy the No. 14 spot in the rankings, marking the 10th time Tech has been ranked inside the top-20 this season. Including last season, The Red Raiders have been ranked by the NSCAA every week for the last two seasons marking 28 straight rankings releases with the Red Raiders in the top-25.
WATSON CLOSING IN ON ONE OF BEST SEASONS FOR A RED RAIDER GOALKEEPER
With four shutouts in the Red Raiders' last six matches, Lauren Watson is now among the elite goalkeepers in Texas Tech history as the Junior has nine shutouts already this year which is second all-time in single-season school history. Watson's nine shutouts, two of which that have come against ranked opponents, are one more than Stephanie Carter's total from the 1995 season. Even if Tech were to reach the title game of the NCAA Championship, Watson would not be able to catch record holder Victoria Esson, who posted 15 shutouts in the 2013-14 season which ranked among the national leaders.
