No. 7 Tech heads to Provo for showdown at No. 7 BYU

Thursday, October 5

Provo, UT

8 p.m.

Texas Tech Athletics

No. 7 BYU

No. 7 Tech heads to Provo for showdown at No. 7 BYU

October 04, 2023 | Women's Soccer

Game Notes (BYU) Watch Live Stats Preview Presser

Thursday’s match will be the first ever top-10 (both teams) matchup in program history

By: Andrew Stern

PROVO, Utah – Fresh off the programs' first top-10 ranking in nearly in a decade, No. 7 Texas Tech soccer hits the road for a Thursday night showdown at fellow No. 7 BYU for the first-ever top-10 battle in program history.

The first ever matchup between the Red Raiders and Cougars, shapes up to be an important one, as Tech and BYU are separated by just four points in the Big 12 standings.

Thursday's match at South Field will kick off at 8 p.m. (CT) and can be viewed live on ESPN+/Big 12 Now.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
MATCHUP: No. 7 Texas Tech (11-0-2, 5-0-0 Big 12) at No. 7 BYU (10-1-2, 3-0-2 Big 12)
DATE: Thursday, October 5, 2023
TIME: 8 p.m. (CT)/7 p.m. (MT)
LOCATION: Provo, Utah (South Field)

LAST TIME OUT:
Powered by a goal and assist from both Kaitlyn Giametta and Sam Courtwright, the No. 14-ranked Texas Tech women's soccer program remained red-hot, downing Cincinnati, 3-0 at the John Walker Soccer Complex.

Battling windy conditions, Texas Tech (11-0-2, 5-0-0 Big 12) found a way to pull out the commanding win on Sunday, using the 32nd strike from Giametta to take a 1-0 lead into the halftime break.

The reserve played a season-high 42 minutes and recorded her first-career goal. Giametta is now the ninth different Red Raider to score a goal this season. On the goal, Tech defender Macy Blackburn picked up the secondary assist, and now has 11 assists this season. Blackburn moved into a tie with Red Raider great Taylor Lytle for second-most assists in a single season.

With the wind in their favor, the Bearcats (2-6-4, 1-2-2 Big 12) came out of locker room at halftime and nearly found the equalizer, recording their first three shots of the contest over the first 3:31 of the second half.

The three-shot sequence included two of Cincy's six corners, but goalie Madison White and the Tech line never cracked before ultimately turning away the Bearcats best threat to score.

White recorded two more saves in her fourth straight home shutout and NCAA-best eighth clean sheet of the season. The goalkeeper has now allowed one goal or fewer in 21 consecutive matches and lowered her goals-against-average this season to an outstanding 0.38.

Tech quickly regained the momentum moments later, when Blackburn was fouled inside the Bearcats defensive third.

On the restart, Blackburn found a wide open Courtwright who took a pair of dribbles and swung a pass in the direction of Giametta.

The Prosper native turned her body and slipped a strong pass to Jillian Martinez, who with a deft swing of her left leg buried her third goal of the contest.

The strike gave Tech a 2-0 lead 48 seconds into the 53rd minute.

Just over 10 minutes later, the Red Raiders put the game to bed for good, when Courtwright found the back of the net for the third time this season.

And while outside back Kylie Bahr's pass ultimately set up the goal, the opportunity wouldn't have been possible if not for a good initial run by Giselle Kozarski.

QUICK KICKS:
• Fresh off the programs first top-10 ranking since the 2014 season, the Texas Tech Red Raiders travel to Provo for the first-ever top-10 matchup in school history. The Red Raiders and Cougars are tied for the seventh spot in this week's United Soccer Coaches Poll.
• In addition to facing No. 7 BYU on Thursday, Tech will also host new minted No. 23 TCU on Sunday at the John Walker Soccer Complex. It's the first time, Tech will face a pair of ranked opponents since 2019 when the Red Raiders defeated both No. 22 South Florida on the road and No. 18 Oklahoma State.
• Tech enters the crucial week riding the programs best overall (11-0-2), the best Big 12 start in program history (5-0-0), a 12-match Big 12-only unbeaten streak and a six-match winning streak overall.
• Over the six match winning streak, Tech has outscored its opponents 13-1.
• It was another big week in terms of conference awards as three different players were honored for their efforts last week. Goalie Madison White was tabbed the Big 12s Goalie of the Week, while defender Macy Blackburn earned Defensive Player of the Week. The Red Raiders third recognition was freshman Sam Courtwright, who took home Freshman of the Week honors after a goal and an assist in Sunday's 3-0 victory over Cincy.
• White sits atop the NCAA leaderboard in shutouts (8) and currently ranks ninth in goals-against-average (0.39).
Blackburn recorded her 10th and 11th assists of the season last week. Entering the week second in the country in assists, Blackburn needs just one more assist to tie the single-season program record (12) and four more assists to tie the overall program record of 27.
• At the midway point of the Big 12 season (through five of 10 conference matches), the Red Raiders sit atop of the tables with 15 points. Tech sits two points ahead of Sunday's opponent TCU. The Horned Frogs host Kansas on Thursday.
• On Sunday against Cincinnati, Tech recorded its seventh game with at least three goals. It's the most three-plus goal games Tech has had in a season since 2019 when the Red Raiders also scored three-plus times in seven matches.

SCOUTING THE COUGARS:
• Fresh off an appearance in the 2022 Sweet 16 and finishing as the National Runners Up in 2021, the BYU Cougars look primed for another deep run in the postseason in 2023. Tied with the Red Raiders for the No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches poll. The Cougars enter the matchup on Thursday night with a record of 10-1-2 overall and 3-0-2 in Big 12 Conference play.
• The lone loss for BYU came back on Sept. 16 when the Cougars fell 1-0 to Utah State in Logan. In that contest, BYU was limited to just 12 shots as it was shutout for the first time since last Oct. 29 against Santa Clara (0-0 draw).
• Thursday's contest will also be a clash between two of the highest powered offenses in the NCAA. BYU enters the week leading the country in goals scored (46), while the Red Raiders check in at No. 7 in the country in goals scored (36). BYU has recorded 42 assists (3rd in the country), while Tech has dished out an NCAA leading 47 helpers.
• The Cougars goal total was bolstered by an epic 7-0 win on Monday night in Ames. The Cougars had six different players find the back of the net and outshot the Cyclones, 30-10 overall with 20 of those shots coming on goal. ISUs goalies were forced to make 13 saves in that contest.
• Six different Cougars have recorded at least 10 points led by Erin Bailey's 18 points (9 goals). Five different BYU players have scored five goals or more: Bailey, Brecken Mozingo, Olivia Katoa, Ellie Walbruch and Allie Fryer.
• A pair of goalies have split duties for BYU as Savanna Mason and Lynette Hernanez have played 10 and six games respectively. The Cougars are 8-0-1 in Mason's nine decisions and are 2-1-1 when Hernaez earns a decision. Mason earned her first start since Sept. 16 against Iowa State. She made two saves in that contest.

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders close the week with another ranked matchup when they head home for a matchup with No. 23 TCU. First kick from the Walker is set for 1 p.m. Sunday's matchup will be the Red Raiders annual scarf giveaway, with the first 500 fans receiving a scarf.