Tech Back on Road to Face Oklahoma

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech will get back on the road Friday for a trip to Norman to play Oklahoma. The Red Raiders will get underway with the Sooners at 7 p.m. and can be seen live on Fox Sports Oklahoma.

With one point through two games, the Red Raiders will head to Norman hungry for a much-needed three points. Winning on the road is critical to chasing down a Big 12 title, and the team knows that.

"We're going there for three points," said redshirt senior Jordie Harr. "We're desperate for points this week."

"There's nothing wrong with feeling like you need them [points]," said head coach Tom Stone. "As an athlete, it's totally fine to recognize that this game is important. I think it's naïve to shy away from that reality, and our team understands that these are points we need to get. We're going to get after it and try to come back with three."

The Red Raiders are unbeaten in their last five matches against the Sooners, but Friday's contest will mark the first time Stone has squared off with new Oklahoma coach Mark Carr. The Red Raiders dropped a 1-0 decision to Carr's squad in a spring exhibition, but this will be the first time Stone and his team will be preparing for the Sooners when it counts.

"We don't tend to over-focus on our opponents too much," said Stone. "But if there was one thing we pointed out that was specific to Oklahoma, it was, 'be ready for anything.' We saw them play a very defensive, counter-attacking and trapping strategy against us in the spring, and we saw them play two different formations against Texas in their loss down there. There's a lot out there for OU to utilize."

Tech's quest for its first win will need to come with another first: a goal. The Red Raiders have created chances and done well keeping possession, but the squad has yet to put one in the back of the net. Over half of Tech's 21 shots this season have been on goal.

"We got there and got on the doorstep several times," said Stone. "In the Baylor game, their keeper saved them. In this [Kansas] game, we didn't look super committed in the box. The goals were there to score."

Though the back of the net has remain untouched, the Tech offense is pounding on the door. Reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year has had some exciting chances, including a shot off the cross bar against Baylor and one inches off the right post at Kansas. Her scoring group up top has consisted of a host of young players, including sophomores Macy Schultz and Madison Drenowatz as well as freshman Gisselle Kozarski. To Stone, those young players are critical to opening the floodgates and getting goals in.

"We've been less assertive by the young nature of those players," he said. "The more veteran you are, the more willing you are to make mistakes. The younger you are, the more you want to hold onto your job. But you can lose your job by holding onto your job. We want them to get aggressive. You can miss by a mile, but [that's okay if] you were trying to do something dangerous. That was the message this week: get more assertive and get more aggressive."

First touch at John Crain Field will be at 7 p.m. Fans can watch the game on Fox Sports Oklahoma.

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Players Mentioned

Madison Drenowatz

Jordie Harr

Gisselle Kozarski

Macy Schultz