Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders Host Lamar in Regular Season Opener
August 21, 2008 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 21, 2008
LUBBOCK, Texas -
Complete Release in PDF Format 
STARTING OFF...
The Texas Tech soccer team opens its 2008 season Fri., Aug. 22, at home against Lamar. The match will be the first at the John Walker Soccer Complex, the new home to Red Raider soccer. The match is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start and is the first among the two schools.
THE JOHN WALKER SOCCER COMPLEX
Tech's newest facility on campus, the John Walker Soccer Complex, officially opens this Friday as the Red Raiders battle Lamar. Named after Tech alum and donor John B. Walker, the stadium is not expected to be completed until Sept. 12, when the Red Raiders face Arizona. Complete with seating for around 1,400 fans, an awning and a pressbox, the John Walker Soccer Complex will quickly become one of the nicest soccer facilities in the country. Prior to the 2009 season, the Red. Raiders will move into a new field house that will be equiped with state-of-the-art locker rooms, coaches offices, a players' lounge and athletic training facilities. The John Walker Soccer Complex is located on 10th Street off the Texas Tech Parkway, which is west of University Medical Center.
SCOUTING LAMAR
The Cardinals enter Friday's match having gone 0-1-1 in its preseason schedule, falling to Navarro College, 1-0, Aug. 12, and finishing in a draw with Tyler Junior College, 1-1, Aug. 16. Only the program's second season, Lamar finished 0-18 overall in 2007 and 0-9 against Southland Conference foes. The Cardinals return 13 letterwinners from last year's squad and are joined by seven newcomers for the 2008 campaign. Lamar is led by first-year head coach Dewi Hardman, who arrives on campus after a two-year stint as the director of coaching for the Tophat Soccer Club. Hardman was actually hired by current Tech head coach Tom Stone when he was the technical director with Tophat. The meeting between the Red Raiders and Cardinals is the first among the two schools. Tech is 8-0-1 all-time against the Southland Conference.
KEEP AN EYE ON...JUNIOR DEFENDER Brittney Harrison
Already one of the most accomplished players in Texas Tech history, Brittney Harrison enters her junior season among the school's top 10 in career goals, points and game-winning goals. Harrison, a two-time All-Big 12 postseason recepient, was named to the All-Big 12 preseason team prior to the season. After moving from forward to the back line, Harrison connected on three goals and two assists in 2007, while only moving to the offensive end late in the match or on set pieces.
RED RAIDERS SELECTED SEVENTH IN PRESEASON CONFERENCE POLL
If the Texas Tech soccer team is going to finish in the top half of the Big 12 for the second-consecutive season, it will once again have to defy the odds as the Red Raiders were selected to finish seventh among the league's 11 participating schools in a preseason poll of conference coaches. The Red Raiders were predicted to finish 11th in 2007 before finishing fifth and advancing to the Big 12 Championship for the first time since 1999. Texas led the poll with 94 points, while Texas A&M and Missouri completed the top three with 93 and 77 points, respectively.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Red Raiders begin Big 12 Conference play next weekend as the Colorado Buffaloes come to town for a 7 p.m. match Fri., Aug. 29, at the John Walker Soccer Complex. The match will be the earliest conference opener for the Red Raiders since 1999 when Tech opened the season against Nebraska on Aug. 27. Tech defeated Colorado, 1-0, last season in Boulder to open conference play.
RINCON, SIMS NAMED TEAM CAPTAINS
Prior to the season, the Red Raiders voted seniors Shannon Sims and Tina Rincon to serve as the team's captains. Sims, a midfielder from Plano, Texas, started all 17 matches last season, while Rincon added to her already impressive career numbers, adding 97 saves and five shutouts in 2007. Rincon is third all-time in career saves and shutouts with 217 and eight, respectively.
TECH IN SEASON OPENERS
The Red Raiders are 6-8 all-time in regular-season openers and 4-3 in openers at home. Tech's last home victory to begin the season was Aug. 2, 2004, against Oral Roberts.
RINCON AMONG CAREER LEADERS
Senior goalkeeper Tina Rincon enters her final season chasing several records on the school's all-time career chart. Rincon is currently third on the career saves list with 217, trailing both Megan Knauss (266) and Brittney Peese (329). Her eight career shutouts only trails Stephanie Carter (11) and Peese (10.5).
MIHELICH JOINS THE RED RAIDERS
Sophomore Leanne Mihelich joins the Red Raiders this season after transferring from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Mihelich led the Trojans as a freshman in both goals with nine and points with 22. She will miss the first several weeks of the season with a foot injury.
LYTLE RETURNS TO THE FIELD
Only weeks before practices began for the 2007 season, the Red Raiders were dealt a share of bad news, their top incoming freshman, Taylor Lytle, had suffered a season-ending knee injury. A NSCAA All-American in high school, Lytle was expected to contribute early into her Tech career. After a year of rehab, Lytle finally was able to rejoin the Red Raider when practices began Aug. 6.
STONE ADDS 12 FRESHMEN FOR SECOND SEASON
In his first recruiting class, head coach Tom Stone found much needed depth to an already talented Tech roster, adding 10 freshman - Lexi Castellano, Maggie Fete, Hope Hanson, Kacy Hardie, Casey McCall, Kendyl Mygatt, Madison Terry, Erin Villareal, Dawn Ward and Lauren Yelinek - on signing day last February. Both Lauren Clary and Jordan Johnson walked-on to the team during preseason practices.
DE LEON, WARD OUT FOR SEASON
Both sophomore Karen De Leon and freshman Dawn Ward will miss the entire 2008 season with injuries. De Leon, one of Tech's top freshman a year ago, connected on two goals and provided two assists in 2007, while Ward was the top prospect in the 2008 recruiting class.
TECH TO HOST TEN MATCHES IN 2008
The Red Raiders will find a more favorable schedule in 2008 as Tech will host 10 home matches. Tech will also lose its "Lone Ranger" status from a year ago where the Red Raiders had to play a Big 12 opponent on both Fridays and Sundays, while each other conference opponent had an open date within its schedule. On top of five non-conference home matches, Tech also hosts national-powers and in-state rivals Texas (Oct. 12) and Texas A&M (Oct. 24). Four of Tech's five road conference matches are against Big 12 North opponents, Kansas (Oct. 3), Missouri (Oct. 5), Iowa State (Oct. 17) and Nebraska (Oct. 19).
REZAIE HOPES TO CONTINUE STRONG FINISH
No other Red Raider possibly ended the 2007 season hotter than junior Zhaleh Rezaie. Expected to be an offensive threat throughout the season, Rezaie got out to a slow start last season connecting on only one goal enterring the Iowa State match, Tech's 11th total of the season. Rezaie would score goals in consecutive matches against Iowa State and Nebraska, before ending the season with a career-high two goals against Missouri in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals. Rezaie finished with six total goals last season.
