Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raider Soccer Points Toward Successfull 2000 Campaign
July 10, 2000 | Women's Soccer
July 10, 2000
When Texas Tech soccer coach Felix Oskam considers what he wants his program to accomplish in 2000 he can not help thinking back to a specific point during the 1999 season.
With four Big 12 regular-season games remaining the Red Raiders controlled their own destiny in the conference race. The team had just defeated Texas and Texas A&M in a weekend home stand and had a couple of winnable games at Oklahoma State and Oklahoma coming up.
As it turned out, Oskam's squad managed only one win down the stretch. Texas Tech still achieved a goal of making the Big 12 tournament, but it had to face top seeded Nebraska in the tournament opener.
The lackluster finish did not discourage Oskam, though, he said the team continued to play extremely hard all the way.
"When we played Nebraska we were getting beat, but the players never gave up," Oskam said. "They fought to the end and I think that proves the kind of character that the team will have again this season."
Further, many of the players who gave the Raiders a chance at a strong Big 12 showing will be back to take another shot this season. Team leaders in six offensive categories for the 1999 season will again wear the red and black in 2000.
Ten letter winners return this season, including six starters and the team's top two point scorers. Senior Jennifer Hamm and junior Carrie Graham lead the experienced group.
Hamm has been a dominant offensive presence for Texas Tech on her way to Big 12 and Central Region post season accolades each of the last two years. Last season she scored four goals and dished out three assists, while leading the team in shots with 78 and shots on goal with 44.
As a sophomore, Graham proved to be a pleasant surprise as she led the Red Raiders in goals and total points for the 1999 season. She found the back of the net eight times, half of which proved to be game winners.
The Red Raiders also have a wealth of experience between the pipes. Brittney Peese returns for her third season as Tech's goalkeeper. In 1999, Peese lowered her goals against average from 2.32 in 1998 to 1.94. She stopped 76 shots on her way to five shutouts.
Returning midfielders senior Lindsay Thompson and sophomore Lindsey Wile each started all 20 games for the Red Raiders last season as did senior defender Kelly Taylor.
But, as much experience as Texas Tech has returning, Oskam said the only thing the upperclassmen can count on in 2000 is having to fight for playing time.
Texas Tech welcomes seven newcomers to the program in 2000. Out of that group, four or five are expected to contribute almost immediately and Oskam concedes that any of them could see action.
Ali Jepson, a freshman from Portland, Ore., represents one of the highlights of the Raider class of 2000. At forward, Jepson could bring the Tech offense and additional scoring threat. Other players who could challenge for starting jobs are Monica Miller, a midfielder from Albuquerbue, N.M., Kerri Campbell, a forward from Duncanville, and Rachel Mavris, a forward/midfielder from Tulsa, Okla.
"The talent level we have coming in will compliment what we have coming back," Oskam said. "We will be deeper and depth is what we need to be more consistent."
The team's newcomers and veterans will have to learn to play together away from Lubbock while it plays its first six games of the season on the road. Highlighting the non-conference schedule is a pair of games versus Southeastern Conference foes LSU and Mississippi in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a trip to the Pacific Northwest to face Portland and Portland State.
The Red Raiders return home to play West Texas A&M and Tulsa before opening conference play.
Oskam said the team's focus will be on Big 12 play. In 1999, the league's top four teams qualified for the NCAA playoffs and Oskam said he feels like, if the Raiders could have finished strong and placed fourth or fifth in the Big 12, they would have joined the group headed for NCAA post-season play.
Texas Tech opens Big 12 play on the road when it makes a weekend trip in September to face rivals Texas A&M and Texas. A key stretch of home games for the Raiders will come in mid-October as Baylor, Iowa State and Nebraska play at R.P. Fuller Stadium in three of Tech's final four conference contests before the Big 12 tournament.
