Texas Tech University Athletics
Tech Faces Top-Seeded Cowgirls in Big 12 Quarterfinals
November 04, 2008 | Women's Soccer
Nov. 4, 2008
LUBBOCK, Texas -
Complete Release in PDF Format 
STARTING OFF...
Texas Tech returns to the Big 12 Championship in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history, facing Oklahoma State Wed., Nov. 5 at 5:30 p.m. at the Blossom Soccer Stadium in San Antonio, Texas.
ON THE AIR
The Big 12 will stream each match leading up to Sunday's finale live on its website, www.big12sports.com with Armen Williams calling the action. The conference will also have live stats available. Both features will be free.
Sunday's championship match will be broadcast live over Fox Sports Net. Fox Soccer Channel will reair the match on tape daily at a time to be determined.
SCOUTING OKLAHOMA STATE
The Big 12 Conference regular season champions, Oklahoma State ended the regular season winning six of its last seven match, finishing 15-1-2 overall and 6-1-2 in conference. The Cowgirls only loss came Oct. 3 when then-ranked No. 7 Texas A&M took a 2-1 win in College Station, Texas. OSU's 10-0-0 record after defeating Tech, 5-1, Sept. 26 in Sillwater, Okla. matched the best start in school history.
The Cowgirls are led offensively by Yolanda Odenyo, whose 15 goals and 34 points lead the conference, while Kasey Langdon and Siera Strawser are tied for second with 10 goals each. The trio has helped power OSU to the highest scoring offense in the nation along with Notre Dame. Erin Stigler has started every match in goal, allowing 15 goals, while collecting 48 saves. The Cowgirls are under the direction of Colin Carmichael, who is 56-16-11 in his four seasons. Carmichael has been at OSU since the program's inception in 1996, serving as an assistant coach, before being promoted to co-head coach in 2005.
KEEP AN EYE ON...SENIOR Tina Rincon
The Tech all-time career shutouts leader, senior goalkeeper Tina Rincon could be closing her historic run as a Red Raider this week. Second in the Big 12 in saves with 84, Rincon has posted five shutouts this season, giving her 13 over her four-year career, while also moving into second place on the Tech all-time career saves chart.
TECH AT BIG 12 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
The Red Raiders are winless all-time at the Big 12 Championship, losing all three meetings by a combined score of 6-17. In its first trip to the championship since 1999 last season, Tech fell behind 3-1 early in the second half against Missouri, but rallied to net two goals within a minute to tie the match late and send it into overtime. Missouri would connect on the game-winner 50 seconds in the second-overtime, however, to give the Tigers a 4-3 victory. Tech's two previous trips resulted in losses to Nebraska (1-10) in 1999 and to Missouri (2-3) in 1996. Tech advanced to the secound round of the Southwest Conference Tournament in 1995 off penalty kicks. This is Tech's fourth appearance at a conference championship.
LYTLE LEADS RED RAIDERS IN POINTS IN FIRST SEASON
After missing the entire 2007 season following knee surgery, redshirt freshman Taylor Lytle has already proved why she was one of the top recruits in the country coming out of high school. Lytle's eight assist rank second in the conference, while the five tallied in conference play lead the Big 12. Her eight assists are one shy of tying Kristi Patterson and Kristy Frantz for the school's single season record of nine. Already among the top 10 all-time for career assists, Lytle is leading the Red Raiders in points this season with 18.
HARRISON A PRESENCE AT BOTH THE TOP AND BACK
After playing the entire 2007 season at defender, junior Brittney Harrison has split time this season on the back line and at her former position, forward. Harrison has seven goals this season and three assists, while three of those goals came Sept. 14 against Northwestern State. Harrison is already among the school's top five all-time for career points, goals and game-winning goals and the top 10 for assists and shots attempted.
LYTLE NAMED TO TWO BIG 12 POSTSEASON TEAMS
After leading the Red Raiders in points and assists, Taylor Lytle was honored by the conference coaches by being selected to both the All-Big 12 second team and the newcomer team. No Tech player has ever been selected to two conference postseason teams in the same season prior. Lytle also joins fellow teammate Brittney Harrison as the only other Tech player to make the newcomer team.
ONE GOAL IS NEVER ENOUGH FOR HINDS
In her second season, sophomore Katie Hinds has been a pleasant surprise for Tom Stone. With seven goals and two assists, Hinds is third on the team in total points with 16. When Hinds scores, expect another goal to come soon after because six of her seven goals this season have come on multiple-goal matches.
TECH NETS MOST GOALS SINCE 1996
The Red Raiders have netted 34 goals this season, which is the most by a Tech team since the 1996 squad finished with 53 goals. Tech has also had a player with multiple-goals in four matches, a feat only accomplished twice in 2007.
INJURIES MOUNTING FOR RED RAIDERS
Entering this season, Tom Stone felt his biggest asset would be his improved depth. That thought was quickly shattered, however, as sophomore forward Karen De Leon and freshman forward and Tech's top recruit from the 2007 class, Dawn Ward, both underwent season-ending surgeries prior to the season. Midway through the season, Tech lost both freshman forward Kendyl Mygatt and sophomore midfielder Halie Cdebaca to knee injuries sustained in the Oklahoma State and Oklahoma matches. Tech has also had more than four players miss multiple matches due to injury.
STONE TURNS FOCUS TO DEFENSE
Following Tom Stone's announcement as the new Tech head coach in 2007, he made an immediate focus on defense, moving all-conference freshman forward Brittney Harrison to defender and bringing in eight freshman to play at the midfield and backline. The move has been successful as Tech has qualified for the Big 12 Championship in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history.
HOFFERT NAMED TO BIG 12 FALL COMMUNITY OF CHAMPIONS
For her effort off the playing field, junior Megan Hoffert was named Tech's representive on the Big 12 Fall Community of Champions last week. Along with being president of the Student-Athlete Committee, Hoffert is also involved in various community activities around the Lubbock area.
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 within about a minute into the second overtime.
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 301 over her four-year career. Rincon's 84 saves this season is second among Big 12 goalkeepers.
