Texas Tech University Athletics
Tech Faces Final Road Trip at Iowa State, Nebraska
October 15, 2008 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 15, 2008
LUBBOCK, Texas -
Complete Release in PDF Format 
STARTING OFF...
Currently on the bubble of qualifying for the Big 12 Championship, the Texas Tech soccer team hits the road for the final time, traveling to Iowa State Oct. 17 and Nebraska Oct. 19.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Red Raiders close the regular season at home against nationally-ranked Texas A&M on Oct. 24, before finishing the weekend with a non-conference match against TCU Oct. 26.
SCOUTING IOWA STATE
Iowa State enters the weekend tied for last in the conference with only one point, sitting 5-8-1 overall and 0-4-1 in conference. The Red Raiders snapped a 10-match losing streak to the Cyclones in 2007, winning 3-1 in Lubbock. Iowa State is under the direction of Wendy Dillinger, who arrives in Ames after a six-year stint at Washington University in St. Louis. Leslie Hill, Amanda Nimtz and Elise Reid have led ISU offensively, netting 10 of the Cyclones' 20 goals this season. Ann Gleason has started every match for the Cyclones in net, allowing 22 goals, while collecting two shutouts and 70 saves, second-most in the conference. Iowa State returns 17 letterwinners, including seven starters, off its 2007 squad that finished 8-6-5 overall and eighth in the Big 12.
SCOUTING NEBRASKA
Nebraska is fifth in the Big 12 with nine points going into this weekend, having won five of their last seven matches. The Red Raiders defeated the Cornhuskers for the first time in school history last season, scoring a 2-1 come-from-behind victory in Lubbock. The only coach in Nebraska history, John Walker enters his 15th season in Lincoln with a 222-83-17 career record. Molly Thomas, Anna Caniglia and Shay Powell have combined for 14 of Nebraska's 22 goals this season. Brittany Pfeil has played the majority of minutes in goal, collecting 36 saves, while allowing only 10 goals on the season. The Cornhuskers return 20 letterwinners, including all 11 starters, from the 2007 squad that finished 5-10-4 overall and 10th in the Big 12.
KEEP AN EYE ON...FRESHMAN Erin Villareal
After missing the first half of the season with injury, freshman Erin Villareal has started in the last three matches on the backline, while playing every minute last weekend against Baylor and Texas. The Plano, Texas, native saw her first action Sept. 26 at Oklahoma State and has seen her minutes increase in every match since.
ONE GOAL NEVER ENOUGH FOR HINDS
When Katie Hinds nets one goal, expect another to come shortly after. Hinds has six career goals, all this season, with all six coming from multiple-goal games. Hinds connected on two goals against Alabama A&M, Oral Roberts and last weekend against Baylor, all Tech wins.
RED RAIDERS STILL NEEDING POINTS
Since the Big 12 Championship field expanded to eight teams in 1999, only one school - Baylor in 1999 - has qualified for the championship with less than 10 points after regular-season play. With six points and three conference matches left, the Red Raiders currently sit on the championship bubble, needing points in its final matches at Iowa State and Nebraska and at home against Texas A&M.
BENNETT RETURNS TO SPARK BACKLINE
After missing stretches of the season due to injury, junior Emmie Bennett saw her most minutes of the season last weekend, playing 93 against Baylor and all 90 against Texas in her first start of the season. Bennett also made the move to the backline to add depth to an already depleated Tech team.
RED RAIDERS RESILIANT IN OVERTIME
Entering the season with no overtime wins since 2005, the Red Raiders not only earned their first Sept. 28 against Oklahoma, but also added another last weekend against Baylor. Both of Tech's overtme victories this year have come in the second overtime with both coming about a minute into the extra period.
YELINEK, LYTLE INCHING CLOSING ON CAREER ASSIST LEADERS
As freshmen, Taylor Lytle and Lauren Yelinek are already getting close to joining the top 10 career assist leaders on the Tech all-time chart. Yelinek leads the team with six assists, while Lytle has added five. Amy Rutstein and Kelly Taylor currently hold ninth place on the chart with seven career assists.
NO ONE HIT WONDER
After advancing to the Big 12 Championship for the first time since 1999 last season, the Red Raiders are looking to return to postseason play in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history. Tech has made a total of three trips - in 1996, 1999 and 2007 - to the Big 12 Championship, but has never won a postseason match in Big 12 play. Tech also qualified for the Southwest Conference Tournament in 1995, advancing to the second round off penalty kicks against TCU.
RINCON AMONG THE ALL-TIME BEST TECH GOALKEEPERS
Already the school's all-time leader in career shutouts, Tech goalkeeper has moved up the ranks in yet another category, career saves. The senior from Carrollton, Texas, passed Megan Knauss for second place for career saves as she now has 284 over her four-year career. Rincon's 67 saves this season is third in the Big 12 this season.
McCALL MAKING HARRISON DECISION EASIER FOR STONE
Freshman defender Casey McCall is making Tech head coach Tom Stone's life easier not just by her play on the backline, but in his decision to keep Brittney Harrison playing forward for the time being. Known for her speed and aggression, McCall is one-for-one on shot attempts this season, netting her first career goal against Alabama A&M, while Harrison leads the Red Raiders with a Big 12 second-best seven goals.
