Tech to Meet TCU in Big 12 Quarterfinals

Sunday, October 28

Kansas City, Mo. / Swope Soccer Village

2:00 P.M.

Texas Tech Athletics

TCU

Tech to Meet TCU in Big 12 Quarterfinals

October 28, 2018 | Women's Soccer

Watch Live (Big 12 Site)

No. 5 Red Raiders get rematch with No. 4 Horned Frogs Sunday.

By: Jeremy O'Brien

LUBBOCK, Texas – In the wake of a chaotic final night of regular season play Thursday, the bracket for the Big 12 Championship settled with fifth-seeded Texas Tech slated to take on fourth-seeded TCU Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City. The two teams joined Texas in a tie for third in the final Big 12 regular season standings.

The Red Raiders arrive in Kansas City riding the momentum of a thrilling home win over No. 17 Texas on Thursday that pushed the 2018 edition of Texas Tech soccer to 3-0 against ranked opponents. Kirsten Davis netted the game's lone goal in the 86^th minute to stun the Longhorns. It was her second goal in four games and fifth of the season.

While the win over the rival Longhorns was exciting, head coach Tom Stone expressed the need for the team to shift their focus to the conference tournament as quickly as possible. He leaves that task in the hands of his veterans.

"Our group is mature and veteran-laden, and our seniors have seen this tournament through before," he said. "We expect them to lead the way."

Co-captains Brooke Denesik and Carly Wickenheiser take on that responsibility, seeing it as their duty to use their experience to make sure the underclassmen are ready for the atmosphere that presents itself in Kansas City.

"The upperclassmen have gone through just about every different scenario in the Big 12 [Championship] – from winning the final to going out in the first round – so we've prepared them along the way," Wickenheiser said. "We understand that it's win or go home now, and this is our time to get things back that we didn't take care of in the regular season."

"This is the fun part of the year," said Denesik. "It's been a grind, but this is a fun time and we're happy to be here and we've gotten everyone excited."

The experience of seniors like Denesik and Wickenheiser has helped lead Tech to the program's most Big 12 wins (five) since the Red Raiders went 6-0-2 against conference foes in 2014.

The only Big 12 team that matters at the moment, though, is TCU. The Red Raiders will get a second shot at a Horned Frog team that shut them out 2-0 in Fort Worth last weekend. It will be the first postseason meeting between the two teams since 2013, when Tech shut out TCU 1-0 in the first round of the Big 12 Championship.

"Playing TCU twice in nine days is no easy task for either team," Stone said. "With as well as TCU played in the first match, we realize what we are up against and know we have to be better this time around."

Assistant coach Nick Hallam recapped what he gathered from Tech's last meeting with TCU:

"They showed when we met a week ago they favor possession of the ball and have the individuals who can cause you some problems if you don't stay alert and connected as a group," said Hallam. "We anticipate a tough and tight game – especially with it being a Big 12 quarterfinal."

Sunday's quarterfinal matchup will be streamed live on the Big 12 Network here.