Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders Release Fall Schedule
June 27, 2019 | Women's Soccer
Texas Tech home slate features nine games.
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech soccer head coach Tom Stone has finalized the 2019 fall schedule. The Red Raiders' regular season will consist of 18 games, including a tournament at Washington State.
PRESEASON
As has been the case for the past six years, Tech will open its fall with an exhibition at Denver. The Red Raiders use the annual trip as an opportunity to prime the squad for the season with a tight match against a steady opponent.
"Every game seems to be a one-goal game," Stone said. "If you can have a preseason intensity that matches a real game, we give that to each other. We both went to the NCAA Tournament last year, and to have that level of game to kick things off is a great test for us."
NON-CONFERENCE
After a scrimmage with the back-to-back Summit League Champions, Tech will make a quick turnaround and head west for road matches at San Diego State on Aug. 22 and New Mexico on Aug. 25. Tech scored twice against each opponent last season, downing the Aztecs and Lobos 2-1 and 2-0, respectively. Jade King notched scores in each contest to kick start a strong offensive season for the then-junior.
"Going on the road opening weekend is a challenge because you're somebody else's home opener," said Stone. "We've had some success against these guys, but we know and they know just how close the games are."
A two-game road swing will give way to a two-game home stand for the Red Raiders, who will welcome Oral Roberts and North Texas to Lubbock for an interesting opening weekend. Tech's opening night game against the Golden Eagles will take place on Aug. 30 and will mark the programs' 11th meeting all-time. The Red Raiders own a 7-3 record against the visitors from Tulsa and have won each of the last four meetings. The Mean Green will visit West Texas on Sept. 1 looking to snap a three-game losing streak against Tech. Despite the positive streaks the Red Raiders hold against each opponent, Stone reassured fans that each match will be competitive.
"I think this is a great opening weekend for us and for the fans," Stone said. "This is our home opener, and so the tables turn and we can feed off the crowd."
Red Raider fans will get their second-straight weekend of Tech soccer in Lubbock when Abilene Christian and Arkansas State visit Sept. 6 and Sept. 8, respectively. ACU is coming off its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance just a handful of years after moving up to the Division I level, making for another good clash between the two West Texas programs.
"We play them in the spring and fall every year," Stone said. "We both made the NCAA Tournament last year. ACU will be our third game against an NCAA Tournament team of our first five. If you're going to be ready by the end of the year, you've got to test yourself.
The clash with the Red Wolves will mark the first-ever competition between the two programs.
Tech will hit the road for three games to round out non-conference play, beginning with a two-game tournament at Washington State, where Stone's colleague, Todd Shulenberger, will play host to the Red Raiders as well as Loyola Marymount and UC Irvine.
"They [Washington State] just opened a new stadium," he said. "They have a brand new facility, their field is extraordinary and I know Todd will roll out the red carpet for us."
Tech will play the two California squads while in Pullman. The Red Raiders clipped Loyola Marymount last season in Los Angeles for their first win against the Lions. The Anteaters of Irvine is a squad which has never before appeared on Tech's schedule.
"We look forward to seeing LMU again because last year's game was a breakout game for us," Stone said of last September's meeting, which pushed Tech to 8-1 to round out non-conference play. "We haven't played Irvine, but we will get a look at them on opening night of the tournament and we're looking forward to seeing them."
Whereas last season's non-con slate wrapped up out west, this year it will come to a close on the east coast. The Red Raiders will make a return trip to South Florida on Sept. 21 after beating the Bulls in Lubbock in 2015. It was a two-overtime affair that saw Stone notch his 100th win at the helm of the Red Raider soccer program.
"They were No. 5 in the country and we needed a big RPI win and we got it," Stone recalled. "This is a team that is really dangerous, and they could be the best team on our non-conference schedule. They are loaded with internationals, are well-coached and are very tough to beat at their place."
BIG 12
Big 12 play will be a point of excitement to look forward to for a Tech squad that picked up five conference wins last season – the most since 2014.
The race for points will begin the last weekend of September when the pair of Oklahoma schools travel south to Lubbock. The Cowboys of Oklahoma State will be the first conference foe to step foot on the turf at the John Walker Soccer Complex on Sept. 26, followed by the Sooners of Oklahoma on Sept. 29.
"Oklahoma State had a disappointing season last year despite being a talented team," said Stone. "I think we're going to see them on their edge, and it will be the same with Oklahoma. I think this will be the best Oklahoma team in three or four years. We're going to see a very good version of those two teams."
A trip to Ames will await the Red Raiders next as they make the trip to Iowa State for a one-game weekend on Oct. 3. The Cyclones went down as Tech's first conference win of the season last year, when the Red Raiders downed them 3-0 at home. To Stone, though, the Cyclone team will be much more difficult at their place.
"It's totally different," he said. "We've had great success with Iowa State at home, but when you go on the road it's never easy. We expect to see a really great performance of Iowa State, but we'll be ready for them."
Tech owns an 8-5 record all-time when playing in Lubbock, and a 3-6 mark when in Ames for a perfect 11-11 split between the two squads. The Red Raiders, however, have been victorious in each of the last six meetings – at home or away.
What awaits Tech next will be a road swing to Morgantown for a match with West Virginia, which Stone believes is one of the toughest road games to win in the country. Following will be a quick trip home, where the Jayhawks of Kansas will be waiting. Last year saw Cassie Hiatt score a dramatic game-tying goal on a header with 90 seconds remaining, which led to a deflected cross by Jade King finding the back of the net for the overtime winner in Lawrence.
"We were awesome at the end and showed incredible courage to score so late then win it in overtime," Stone said. "Last year was a massive win for us, but I think the dynamic is changing as they've gotten a lot better. I expect that game to be right down to the wire."
Another one-game weekend will approach Tech next in the form of an Oct. 18 clash with TCU at home. Tech dropped a regular season contest in Fort Worth last year, but came back to end the Horned Frogs' season on penalties in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championship.
"I'm hoping home field advantage plays a part here," said Stone. "It certainly did last year in Fort Worth, despite having a ton of Red Raider fans there. We're comfortable at home, and we're looking forward to that match."
What awaits next will be a challenging two-game road trip east, where the Red Raiders will be tested with away matches at Baylor (Oct. 24) and Texas (Oct. 27). Tech dropped the then-17th-ranked Longhorns in the home finale, 1-0, after a dramatic 86th-minute goal by Kirsten Davis. Baylor notched two wins over the Red Raiders, including an overtime victory in the semi-finals of the Big 12 Championship.
"That's the hardest weekend of the year," Stone said. "Those are two places where it's tough to get points. You have to go in with a grind mentality because it's going to be a slugfest on both accounts. It's going to be a battle, and the intangibles will be on display that weekend."
Kansas State, in its third season of existence, will round out Tech's regular season. The Wildcats will head to Lubbock for a Halloween night matchup on Oct. 31. Stone, whose squad downed K-State in Manhattan last season, praised how quickly the Wildcats have grown into a solid opponent.
"When you add a team that's never played Division I soccer before, you generally terrible RPI and a long time before they become good," Stone said. "K-State came in right away and they were good. Although we've had success, they've been tight games. It'll be electric – not just because of Halloween – but because most Big 12 seasons come down to the last game. We look forward to having K-State in here with that much on the line."
PRESEASON
As has been the case for the past six years, Tech will open its fall with an exhibition at Denver. The Red Raiders use the annual trip as an opportunity to prime the squad for the season with a tight match against a steady opponent.
"Every game seems to be a one-goal game," Stone said. "If you can have a preseason intensity that matches a real game, we give that to each other. We both went to the NCAA Tournament last year, and to have that level of game to kick things off is a great test for us."
NON-CONFERENCE
After a scrimmage with the back-to-back Summit League Champions, Tech will make a quick turnaround and head west for road matches at San Diego State on Aug. 22 and New Mexico on Aug. 25. Tech scored twice against each opponent last season, downing the Aztecs and Lobos 2-1 and 2-0, respectively. Jade King notched scores in each contest to kick start a strong offensive season for the then-junior.
"Going on the road opening weekend is a challenge because you're somebody else's home opener," said Stone. "We've had some success against these guys, but we know and they know just how close the games are."
A two-game road swing will give way to a two-game home stand for the Red Raiders, who will welcome Oral Roberts and North Texas to Lubbock for an interesting opening weekend. Tech's opening night game against the Golden Eagles will take place on Aug. 30 and will mark the programs' 11th meeting all-time. The Red Raiders own a 7-3 record against the visitors from Tulsa and have won each of the last four meetings. The Mean Green will visit West Texas on Sept. 1 looking to snap a three-game losing streak against Tech. Despite the positive streaks the Red Raiders hold against each opponent, Stone reassured fans that each match will be competitive.
"I think this is a great opening weekend for us and for the fans," Stone said. "This is our home opener, and so the tables turn and we can feed off the crowd."
Red Raider fans will get their second-straight weekend of Tech soccer in Lubbock when Abilene Christian and Arkansas State visit Sept. 6 and Sept. 8, respectively. ACU is coming off its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance just a handful of years after moving up to the Division I level, making for another good clash between the two West Texas programs.
"We play them in the spring and fall every year," Stone said. "We both made the NCAA Tournament last year. ACU will be our third game against an NCAA Tournament team of our first five. If you're going to be ready by the end of the year, you've got to test yourself.
The clash with the Red Wolves will mark the first-ever competition between the two programs.
Tech will hit the road for three games to round out non-conference play, beginning with a two-game tournament at Washington State, where Stone's colleague, Todd Shulenberger, will play host to the Red Raiders as well as Loyola Marymount and UC Irvine.
"They [Washington State] just opened a new stadium," he said. "They have a brand new facility, their field is extraordinary and I know Todd will roll out the red carpet for us."
Tech will play the two California squads while in Pullman. The Red Raiders clipped Loyola Marymount last season in Los Angeles for their first win against the Lions. The Anteaters of Irvine is a squad which has never before appeared on Tech's schedule.
"We look forward to seeing LMU again because last year's game was a breakout game for us," Stone said of last September's meeting, which pushed Tech to 8-1 to round out non-conference play. "We haven't played Irvine, but we will get a look at them on opening night of the tournament and we're looking forward to seeing them."
Whereas last season's non-con slate wrapped up out west, this year it will come to a close on the east coast. The Red Raiders will make a return trip to South Florida on Sept. 21 after beating the Bulls in Lubbock in 2015. It was a two-overtime affair that saw Stone notch his 100th win at the helm of the Red Raider soccer program.
"They were No. 5 in the country and we needed a big RPI win and we got it," Stone recalled. "This is a team that is really dangerous, and they could be the best team on our non-conference schedule. They are loaded with internationals, are well-coached and are very tough to beat at their place."
BIG 12
Big 12 play will be a point of excitement to look forward to for a Tech squad that picked up five conference wins last season – the most since 2014.
The race for points will begin the last weekend of September when the pair of Oklahoma schools travel south to Lubbock. The Cowboys of Oklahoma State will be the first conference foe to step foot on the turf at the John Walker Soccer Complex on Sept. 26, followed by the Sooners of Oklahoma on Sept. 29.
"Oklahoma State had a disappointing season last year despite being a talented team," said Stone. "I think we're going to see them on their edge, and it will be the same with Oklahoma. I think this will be the best Oklahoma team in three or four years. We're going to see a very good version of those two teams."
A trip to Ames will await the Red Raiders next as they make the trip to Iowa State for a one-game weekend on Oct. 3. The Cyclones went down as Tech's first conference win of the season last year, when the Red Raiders downed them 3-0 at home. To Stone, though, the Cyclone team will be much more difficult at their place.
"It's totally different," he said. "We've had great success with Iowa State at home, but when you go on the road it's never easy. We expect to see a really great performance of Iowa State, but we'll be ready for them."
Tech owns an 8-5 record all-time when playing in Lubbock, and a 3-6 mark when in Ames for a perfect 11-11 split between the two squads. The Red Raiders, however, have been victorious in each of the last six meetings – at home or away.
What awaits Tech next will be a road swing to Morgantown for a match with West Virginia, which Stone believes is one of the toughest road games to win in the country. Following will be a quick trip home, where the Jayhawks of Kansas will be waiting. Last year saw Cassie Hiatt score a dramatic game-tying goal on a header with 90 seconds remaining, which led to a deflected cross by Jade King finding the back of the net for the overtime winner in Lawrence.
"We were awesome at the end and showed incredible courage to score so late then win it in overtime," Stone said. "Last year was a massive win for us, but I think the dynamic is changing as they've gotten a lot better. I expect that game to be right down to the wire."
Another one-game weekend will approach Tech next in the form of an Oct. 18 clash with TCU at home. Tech dropped a regular season contest in Fort Worth last year, but came back to end the Horned Frogs' season on penalties in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championship.
"I'm hoping home field advantage plays a part here," said Stone. "It certainly did last year in Fort Worth, despite having a ton of Red Raider fans there. We're comfortable at home, and we're looking forward to that match."
What awaits next will be a challenging two-game road trip east, where the Red Raiders will be tested with away matches at Baylor (Oct. 24) and Texas (Oct. 27). Tech dropped the then-17th-ranked Longhorns in the home finale, 1-0, after a dramatic 86th-minute goal by Kirsten Davis. Baylor notched two wins over the Red Raiders, including an overtime victory in the semi-finals of the Big 12 Championship.
"That's the hardest weekend of the year," Stone said. "Those are two places where it's tough to get points. You have to go in with a grind mentality because it's going to be a slugfest on both accounts. It's going to be a battle, and the intangibles will be on display that weekend."
Kansas State, in its third season of existence, will round out Tech's regular season. The Wildcats will head to Lubbock for a Halloween night matchup on Oct. 31. Stone, whose squad downed K-State in Manhattan last season, praised how quickly the Wildcats have grown into a solid opponent.
"When you add a team that's never played Division I soccer before, you generally terrible RPI and a long time before they become good," Stone said. "K-State came in right away and they were good. Although we've had success, they've been tight games. It'll be electric – not just because of Halloween – but because most Big 12 seasons come down to the last game. We look forward to having K-State in here with that much on the line."
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