No. 6 Tech seeks 13th Win, Thursday at UCF

ORLANDO – Fresh off a strong 1-0 win over No. 23 TCU, the sixth-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders hit the road for a Thursday night match at new Big 12 foe UCF.

First kick for the first all-time matchup between the two schools, is set for 5 p.m. (CT) from the UCF Soccer and Track Stadium.

Tech enters the matchup sitting on 12 total wins and six Big 12 wins with three matches remaining. Tech's six total Big 12 wins are the most by a Red Raider team since the 2019 season when Tech went 6-1-2 overall.

The Red Raiders also sit in the drivers seat for the regular season Big 12 title, as Tech sits three points clear of No. 21 TCU and four points clear of No. 8 BYU.

Tech's No. 6 ranking in this weeks United Soccer Coaches poll, ties for the best all-time ranking in program history (2014).

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
MATCHUP: No. 6 Texas Tech (12-0-3, 6-0-1 Big 12) at UCF (8-5-0, 4-3-0 Big 12)
DATE: Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023
TIME: 6 p.m. (local)/5 p.m. (CT)
LOCATION: Orlando, Fla. (UCF Soccer and Track Complex)

LAST TIME OUT:
Powered by a late second half goal from senior Alex Kerr, and another clean sheet from goalie Madison White, No. 7 Texas Tech soccer downed No. 23 TCU, 1-0 on Sunday afternoon at the John Walker Soccer Complex.
In a battle between the two teams tied atop the Big 12 standings, it was Texas Tech (12-0-3, 6-0-1 Big 21) that earned a key 1-0 win that pushes the Red Raiders three points clear of TCU (9-4-2, 5-1-1 Big 12) with just three matches remaining in the regular season.
The difference in the match was a 72nd minute goal from Kerr that came off a TCU turnover. The forward received a perfect pass from reserve Kaitlyn Giametta who slotted the ball to the wide-open Kerr deep in the Horned Frogs 18-yard box.
Kerr took two dribbles and ripped a left-footed shot into the right-hand corner of the net.
Up a goal, Tech held off a flurry of TCU chances including an 84th minute dangerous ball from AJ Hennessey that White was able to get a piece of to keep the ball out of the net.
White made a season-high five saves to record her 35th career clean sheet overall and NCAA-leading ninth of the season.
With the victory, the Red Raiders are now a perfect 9-0 this season at home and have won 11 straight home games, the second-longest streak in program history (12; 2013-14).
The win also extends a pair of streaks for the Red Raiders who are now unbeaten in their last 22 matches overall (17-0-5) and 14 straight Big 12 Conference matches (11-0-3).

QUICK KICKS:

Entering the week ranked No. 6 in the country (ties highest ranking in program history), Texas Tech enters the week with a three-point lead atop the Big 12 standings, after Sunday's 1-0 win over No. 23 TCU.
The Red Raiders enter the week riding a 22-match unbeaten streak and a 14-match Big 12 unbeaten streak.
After Sunday's home game against TCU, the Red Raiders will play two of their final three contests on the road (at UCF Thursday; at Iowa State next Monday).
Tech enters the week sitting on 39 goals and 51 total assists. The 2023 Red Raiders are the first squad in program history to eclipse 50 assists in program history.
Toting one of the most balanced attacks in the country, Tech enters the week with five girls with at least three goals highlighted by 12 goals from junior Ashleigh Williams and 10 from fellow forward Alex Kerr. After scoring just 12 times in four seasons at Vanderbilt, Kerr has now recorded 10 goals after scoring twice in Tech's unbeaten week last week.
The week started with a 2-2 road draw at then No. 7 BYU and continued with a 1-0 win over No. 23 TCU.
Sunday's home victory over TCU was the first ranked home victory since the 2018 season when Tech defeated No. 21 Oklahoma State back on Oct. 5, 2018.
Goalie Madison White enters the week as the nations leader in total shutouts, after recording her ninth shutout of the season against TCU. The nine shutouts are a new career-high and White needs just one shutout to become the first keeper since Marissa Zucchetto to record double-figure clean sheets in a season.

SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS:
• UCF enters Thursday's match riding a two-match losing streak and having lost three of four matches overall. The Knights went 0-2 last week, losing 3-1 to Texas last Thursday and 2-1 to Baylor on Sunday. In their first season in the Big 12 after moving from the American Conference, the Knights enter Thursday's match at 8-5 overall and 4-3 in Big 12 play. UCF opened its first season in the Big 12 with three straight wins over WVU (4-2), Houston (1-0) and Kansas (1-0).
• The Knights other Big 12 victory came at Oklahoma (2-1).
• Thursday's match will be UCFs final home match of the season, as the Knights will close with road contests at Cincinnati and BYU.
• UCF has scored 19 goals so far this season through the first 15 matches, with 10 coming from Chloe Netzel and Ellie Moreno. Netzel has also recorded a pair of assists and is tied with Dayana Martin for the team lead in points (12). Martin, Netzel and Moreno are the only three UCF players with double-digit points.
• UCF goalie Caroline DeLisle has handled all the goalkeeper duties for the Knights this season. DeLisle has recorded a 1.15 GAA and has made 54 saves in 15 games.

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders return to action on Sunday afternoon when they Oklahoma State Cowboys pay a visit to Lubbock. First kick for Senior Day is set for 1 p.m. (CT) as Tech will honor its seven seniors prior to kick. s

No. 6 Tech seeks 13th Win, Thursday at UCF

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Players Mentioned

Kaitlyn Giametta

Alex Kerr

Madison White

Ashleigh Williams

Texas Tech University Athletics