Tech Set For Big 12 Quarterfinal Vs. West Virginia

Wednesday, November 1

Kansas City, Mo.

5:30 p.m.

Texas Tech Athletics

West Virginia

Tech Set For Big 12 Quarterfinal Vs. West Virginia

October 31, 2017 | Women's Soccer

Big 12 Bracket Match Notes Live Stream Live Stats Preview Press Conference

The Red Raiders will face the Mountaineers on Wednesday, Nov. 1, at 5:30 p.m. at Swope Soccer Village on the Big 12 Digital Network

LUBBOCK, Texas – The Texas Tech soccer team heads to Kansas City for the start of the 2017 Big 12 Tournament, which begins on Wednesday, Nov. 1, at Children's Mercy Victory Field at Swope Soccer Village.

The Red Raiders (9-6-3) are slotted as the seventh seed and will open quarterfinal action for the second-straight year against West Virginia (14-3-1), the No. 2 seed, at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. The first round of the Big 12 Tournament will be streamed live on the Big 12 Digital Network at Big12Sports.com, with live stats available through the conference office website.

A win on Wednesday would pit Tech against the winner of No. 3 TCU vs. No. 6 Kansas match, which will be played following the conclusion of the Red Raiders' contest, on Friday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. in the semifinal round. The championship game is slated for Sunday, Nov. 5, at 3 p.m. on FS1.

"They're coming off a season where they didn't win the trophy for the first time in five or six years, so there's probably some amped up attitude wanting to get back on the podium," head coach Tom Stone said on West Virginia. "However, we can't get caught up in all of that. The reality is, the last four games we've played really well and have given up few goals while scoring several. We just have to keep that trend going.

"The time of year you want to be playing your best has to be at the end. We started strong, dipped and we finished strong, so we just have to carry that into Kansas City no matter who we are playing."

It is the second consecutive season the two teams have met in the opening round of the tournament and the third-straight year the two programs have squared off in Kansas City. Last season, Tech dropped a 3-0 decision to the Mountaineers, as the Red Raiders were slotted as the No. 8 seed in the tourney. In 2015, No. 5 Tech faced top-seeded West Virginia in the semifinal round and used a Janine Beckie goal in the 74^th minute to sail past the Mountaineers and on to an eventual conference crown.

The Red Raiders will be making their 13^th appearance in the Big 12 Tournament and their 11^th under head coach Tom Stone. This is the second time Tech has earned the seventh seed in the tournament, last doing so in 2010 as the Red Raiders dropped a 3-1 match against No. 2 Oklahoma State.

Earlier this season, the Red Raiders and Mountaineers battled to a 1-1 draw in Morgantown. After giving up a goal with a minute to go before halftime, Tech came out of the break strong and posted a 61^st minute equalizer on a free kick from junior defender Brooke Denesik.

It was the first time the two teams had played to a draw in the series history and was the first and only tie for WVU this season. The last time the Mountaineers had finished a home conference match in a draw was on Oct. 12, 2012, in a 1-1 contest against Baylor.

Last weekend, the Red Raiders wrapped the regular season slate with a 3-0 victory over Oklahoma on a special senior night at the John Walker Soccer Complex. Three different Red Raiders recorded goals, while Tech posted its seventh shutout win of the year. Freshman forward Ally Griffin (39'), senior defender Cassie Conarty (48') and junior midfielder Gwennie Puente (77') all picked up scores to help the Red Raiders end the regular season on a high note.

"We had two called back, so it could've been five, but we feel really good about it," Stone on his team parlaying end of regular season success into a memorable postseason run. "We know if we kept doing the things we've been doing all season and catch a break, then it would start to fall and if one went in then a bunch would go in and that's exactly what happened. Senior day, three goals, a shutout, two of our seniors got points in the game – you can't really write a better script for your seniors than that."

Griffin and Puente made up two of Tech's five All-Big 12 selections, which were announced on Monday by the league office. Griffin was named to the second team, as well as the All-Freshman squad. Puente joined senior defender Rebekah O'Brien and sophomore midfielder Jordie Harr to also be selected to the second team. The Red Raiders were the only school in the state of Texas to have a senior, junior, sophomore and freshman all be represented among the three conference teams. In August, only Harr was featured on the preseason All-Big 12 list.

Tech also had 15 named to the Academic All-Big 12 teams released on Tuesday. Thirteen of the 15 were first team honorees, with six nominated with distinguished marks. The six are the most of any Big 12 school, while the total 15 rank second in the league.

To cap a busy week of awards, Griffin also picked up Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors for her fifth game-winning score of the year against Oklahoma last Friday. This year, the Red Raiders are led in nearly every offensive category by Griffin. She tops the squad in points (13), goals (six), shots (56), shots on goal (26) and game-winning goals (five).

Griffin and fellow freshman Kirsten Davis, who has scored four goals, combined with the experience of sophomores Jade King and Jordie Harr, have rejuvenated Tech's offense to numbers that have already surpassed last year's totals through 18 matches. Heading into the Big 12 Tournament, the Red Raiders have recorded 24 goals, passing last year's 20 goals in 20 contests. Tech had already pushed past its assist and point totals of nine and 49, respectively, by putting up 15 and 63 on the field in 2017. Harr also increased her assist marks from 2016, with four this season, after serving up three last year.

Freshman goalkeeper Marissa Zucchetto has started each of the last four matches for the Red Raiders and is the only keeper to play the duration of a match this season. The Texas Tech defense was stout against the Sooners, allowing just one shot on goal, coming in the second half, to raise her season total to 35. Zucchetto has played in all 18 contests this season, with the first 14 in second half action.

West Virginia enters the Big 12 quarterfinal having scored 32 goals as a unit, while giving up just 11. Michaela Abam leads the Mountaineers with seven goals and three assists, with three others also tallying four goals this season. Twelve different players have recorded at least one goal with 15 total securing a point. Rylee Foster has been the keeper for the majority of the season, allowing 10 goals while picking up 34 saves.

A win would extend Tech's season to Friday, where they would take on the winner of No. 3 TCU and No. 6 Kansas in the semifinal at 7 p.m.