Texas Tech University Athletics
Tech Soccer Hits the Road for Cats Classic Tournament
September 15, 2011 | Women's Soccer
Sept. 15, 2011
Cats Classic Preview
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech soccer team heads to Tucson, Ariz., to face Arizona State on Friday, Sept. 16 and Arizona on Sunday, Sept 18 in the Lowes Ventana Canyon Resort Cats Classic at Murphey Field at Mulcahy Stadium.
This Week's Matches
Lowes Ventana Canyon Resort Cats Classic
Friday, Sept. 18 vs. Arizona State @ Tuscon, Ariz. 7 p.m. CST,
Sunday, Sept. 20 @ Arizona 8 p.m. CST
Live Video & Stats: www.arizonawildcats.com
Twitter: @techgameday
The Red Raiders
Tech hits the road for its second road trip of the season to play in the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort Cats Classic held by Arizona University in Tucson, Ariz. The first match will be against Arizona State on Friday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. CST with the Red Raiders and Arizona facing off on Sunday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. CST.
Arizona State
Arizona State has a record of 3-3 and will be facing Tech for the first time. Alexandra Doller is the leading goal scorer with four and Holland Crook leads the team with two assists. The Sun Devils average 12.5 shots per match and have scored a total of 12 goals on the season.
Arizona
Arizona is 0-6 on the season and will be facing Texas Tech for the third-time in program history. Tech is 0-2 against the Wildcats. Arizona has only scored two goals on the season and has allowed 11. The Wildcats are averaging 10.5 shots per match.
Ward In Elite Company
Dawn Ward's two goals in the first half against Toledo put the junior in elite company. She is the second Red Raider in program history to score two goals in the first half of the match. Ward also now has 19 goals for her career which puts her at No. 5 on the career goals list.
Three Goal Outburst
The three goals scored against Toledo is the highest total in a single game this season. Tech scored a season high of four goals last season twice. The Red Raiders have scored a total of eight goals this season in seven matches.
Strength of Schedule
Tech has played one of the toughest schedules in the nation so far this season. The seven teams the Red Raiders have played are a combined 30-13-5 on the season. Only one team, Toledo, has a losing record this season.
Shutouts
The Red Raiders have held four opponents on the season scoreless this season. Victoria Esson has been credited with three of the shutouts and Gabby Kaufman with the fourth. Last season Tech shutout a total of nine opponents. Tech is only giving up .86 goals per match so far this season.
Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week
Goalkeeper Victoria Esson was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week (8/21) for her stellar play against Rice and New Mexico State. In her first career start for the Red Raiders, Esson made five saves against Rice and changed the momentum late in the match. The sophomore came to the top of the box and stood up the attacker and dove at her feet to grab the ball and take the threat away. The Red Raiders held on for the 1-0 win. The next match, Esson made two saves to preserve a 1-0 victory over New Mexico State, which gave Tech a 2-0 start to the season.
Co-Captains
Taylor Lytle and Casey McCall were named co-captains of the Red Raider soccer team. Both are team captains from a year ago. Lytle is ranked fifth on the career points list with 50 and is only two assists away from becoming Tech's all-time career leader. McCall has been a defensive leader over the past three seasons and led the team in minutes played with 1821 last year.
Weekend Attendance
The Red Raiders had the second-highest weekend attendance on opening weekend with 2,467 in attendance. The previous high was the 2010 season-opening weekend, where 2,641 were in attendance at the John Walker Soccer Complex.
Home Sweet Home
The John Walker Soccer Complex has not only become one of the top facilities in the nation to watch soccer but also one of the best home-field advantages as well. Tech finished last year with a 7-2 record at the pitch and attendance average was No. 12 nationally. The Red Raiders are looking to break the school record for attendance of 1,728 set in 2009 against Oklahoma State.
Fourth-Straight Year
The victory over Rice was not only its fourth-straight season-opening victory but also its fourth-straight season-opening shutout. Tech started the steak in 2008 with a 4-0 win over Lamar while in 2009 a 5-0 victory over UTSA kept the steak alive. Last season TCU came to town and the Red Raiders prevailed 3-0.
Preseason All-Big 12 Team
The Red Raider soccer team, for the first time in program history, placed two players on the Preseason All-Big 12 Soccer team as Jessica Fuston and Taylor Lytle were both honored. Fuston was the 2010 Big 12 Rookie of the Year and a second team selection to the All-Big 12 team. She led the team with 11 goals and 24 points last season. It is the second-straight year Lytle was named to the preseason team.
Head Coach Tom Stone
Stone has a career record of 38-37-7 going into his fifth season at Tech. The Red Raiders have advanced to the Big 12 Championship in every season under Stone. Last season the squad won the most games (11) since Tech won 13 back in 1996.
Bring Cleats for a Good Cause
Any fan that brings a pair of new or slightly worn cleats will receive free entry into Texas Tech soccer matches throughout the entire season.
