Texas Tech University Athletics
Stone Releases Spring Schedule
March 02, 2021 | Women's Soccer
Red Raiders set for five matches, one at home.
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech head coach Tom Stone announced a five-game spring slate Tuesday, which will kick off Friday. The Red Raiders will play at least five games, including at least one at home.
"It's great to have a schedule finalized with so many quality opponents," said Stone. "This second half of the COVID season/year presents a unique opportunity to get our full squad back on the field together to compete and finish the year strong.
"We are thankful we get to play real games this spring," he continued. "We need to focus our training and preparation on being successful now, but maybe more so on being a much-improved team come fall. The players came back from break hungry and training has been extra spice, so I am looking forward to what this spring will become for us.
Tech, originally set to open its spring campaign – a continuation of a conference-only, COVID-shortened fall – with a familiar regional opponent in Abilene Christian, will now begin with a match against University of the Southwest (N.M.). Abilene Christian was required to reschedule after needing to fill the coming weekend with Southland Conference games.
Tech's new opponent, the Lady Mustangs, posted a 12-7-1 record in 2019 en route to a third-place finish in the NAIA Red Rivers Athletic Conference. That year's team became the first in program history to earn an NAIA Tournament berth. With their 2020 season being canceled due to COVID and their first spring game against Jarvis Christian College postponed due to rain, Friday's game against Tech will be their first action in nearly a year-and-a-half. First touch will be at 6:30 p.m. at the John Walker Soccer Complex.
"We are thankful that when our ACU game was postponed we were able to invite our neighbors to the west of us to come get a game in," said Stone. "It's important to play someone besides ourselves on opening weekend. We fully expect to get ACU back on the schedule this spring as things evolve and dates open up."
Following the opening home match, Tech will play three on the road to round out March.
"The three road games in March are key," said Stone. "LSU, 'Bama and UNT all in a row, with two of those matches in Dallas for our Red Raider fans and families there."
The Red Raiders will then start a two-game stretch against SEC opponents Alabama and LSU. The meeting with the Crimson Tide will take place March 13 at the First Bossier Classic in Bossier City, La. Stone's squad has not met Bama since a home-and-home tilt in 2009 and 2010. The Tide picked up one-goal wins in both matches, including a thrilling overtime contest in Lubbock in 2009.
Bama matched Tech's fall record last season, going 2-5-2. Much like the Red Raiders, however, the Crimson Tide's fall was not indicative of the program's success in recent years. In 2019, Alabama won 10 games and upset rival Auburn in overtime in the first round of the SEC Tournament.
Tech's schedule will continue the following weekend with the team responsible for ending Alabama's season in 2020: LSU. The Red Raiders met the Tigers at the First Bossier Classic last spring, where Kirsten Davis recorded the first hat trick of her collegiate career as Tech shut out the hosts, 3-0. Though this year's matchup against the Tigers will not take place in Bossier City, Dallas-area Red Raider fans will have a chance to see Tech in action at Texas Woman's University in Dallas. The game is set for March 20.
Tech fans in the Metroplex will have another opportunity to catch the Red Raiders on March 28. Tech will visit North Texas for a tilt with the Mean Green. Tech played UNT for the first time since 2015 in 2019, resulting in a 4-0 win.
For the second straight season, Tech's spring will include a game against a Big 12 foe. This year, the Red Raiders will visit Waco to face off with Baylor on April 14. Tech played the Bears to a 0-0 draw in 2020, but it was 2019 the Red Raiders pulled off an exciting season sweep of the strong Baylor squad. Davis scored twice to down the Bears in Waco, then netted another to knock them out of the Big 12 Championship.
"Wrapping up with Baylor will be a great way to end the regular season," said Stone. "They always present unique and difficult challenges, so we have our work cut out for us in Waco."
ATTENDANCE INFORMATION
Due to limited capacity at the John Walker Soccer Complex, general admission tickets will be capped at 50 percent for a total limit of 700. Admission will be free for all home games.
First touch for Friday's opener will be at 6:30 p.m.
"It's great to have a schedule finalized with so many quality opponents," said Stone. "This second half of the COVID season/year presents a unique opportunity to get our full squad back on the field together to compete and finish the year strong.
"We are thankful we get to play real games this spring," he continued. "We need to focus our training and preparation on being successful now, but maybe more so on being a much-improved team come fall. The players came back from break hungry and training has been extra spice, so I am looking forward to what this spring will become for us.
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— Texas Tech Soccer (@TexasTechSoccer) March 2, 2021
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Tech, originally set to open its spring campaign – a continuation of a conference-only, COVID-shortened fall – with a familiar regional opponent in Abilene Christian, will now begin with a match against University of the Southwest (N.M.). Abilene Christian was required to reschedule after needing to fill the coming weekend with Southland Conference games.
Tech's new opponent, the Lady Mustangs, posted a 12-7-1 record in 2019 en route to a third-place finish in the NAIA Red Rivers Athletic Conference. That year's team became the first in program history to earn an NAIA Tournament berth. With their 2020 season being canceled due to COVID and their first spring game against Jarvis Christian College postponed due to rain, Friday's game against Tech will be their first action in nearly a year-and-a-half. First touch will be at 6:30 p.m. at the John Walker Soccer Complex.
"We are thankful that when our ACU game was postponed we were able to invite our neighbors to the west of us to come get a game in," said Stone. "It's important to play someone besides ourselves on opening weekend. We fully expect to get ACU back on the schedule this spring as things evolve and dates open up."
Following the opening home match, Tech will play three on the road to round out March.
"The three road games in March are key," said Stone. "LSU, 'Bama and UNT all in a row, with two of those matches in Dallas for our Red Raider fans and families there."
The Red Raiders will then start a two-game stretch against SEC opponents Alabama and LSU. The meeting with the Crimson Tide will take place March 13 at the First Bossier Classic in Bossier City, La. Stone's squad has not met Bama since a home-and-home tilt in 2009 and 2010. The Tide picked up one-goal wins in both matches, including a thrilling overtime contest in Lubbock in 2009.
Bama matched Tech's fall record last season, going 2-5-2. Much like the Red Raiders, however, the Crimson Tide's fall was not indicative of the program's success in recent years. In 2019, Alabama won 10 games and upset rival Auburn in overtime in the first round of the SEC Tournament.
Tech's schedule will continue the following weekend with the team responsible for ending Alabama's season in 2020: LSU. The Red Raiders met the Tigers at the First Bossier Classic last spring, where Kirsten Davis recorded the first hat trick of her collegiate career as Tech shut out the hosts, 3-0. Though this year's matchup against the Tigers will not take place in Bossier City, Dallas-area Red Raider fans will have a chance to see Tech in action at Texas Woman's University in Dallas. The game is set for March 20.
Tech fans in the Metroplex will have another opportunity to catch the Red Raiders on March 28. Tech will visit North Texas for a tilt with the Mean Green. Tech played UNT for the first time since 2015 in 2019, resulting in a 4-0 win.
For the second straight season, Tech's spring will include a game against a Big 12 foe. This year, the Red Raiders will visit Waco to face off with Baylor on April 14. Tech played the Bears to a 0-0 draw in 2020, but it was 2019 the Red Raiders pulled off an exciting season sweep of the strong Baylor squad. Davis scored twice to down the Bears in Waco, then netted another to knock them out of the Big 12 Championship.
"Wrapping up with Baylor will be a great way to end the regular season," said Stone. "They always present unique and difficult challenges, so we have our work cut out for us in Waco."
ATTENDANCE INFORMATION
Due to limited capacity at the John Walker Soccer Complex, general admission tickets will be capped at 50 percent for a total limit of 700. Admission will be free for all home games.
First touch for Friday's opener will be at 6:30 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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