The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Soccer preview: Texas Tech
10.16.2011 | Soccer
Oct. 16, 2011
MATCH #16: Texas (9-5-1, 3-2-1 Big 12) vs. Texas Tech (9-5-2, 2-2-1 Big 12)
When: 7:00 p.m. Central, Sunday, October 16, 2011
Where: John Walker Soccer Complex; Lubbock, Texas
Live Video: Streaming on TexasTech.com
Live Stats: GameTracker on TexasTech.comAll-time Series Record: Texas leads series 11-3-2
Petrucelli vs. Texas Tech: 9-2-0
Versus Texas Tech ... The Longhorns and Lady Raiders have met on the pitch 16 prior occasions with Texas owning an 11-3-2 edge in the all-time series. The Lady Raiders own a 5-2 advantage in games played in Lubbock. The squads have played two draws each of the last two meetings, both in Austin, including 0-0 in 2010 and 2-2 in 2009.
Oklahoma State recap ... The Longhorns and No. 2 Cowgirls played on an even keel for 110 minutes, finishing in a 1-1 draw. Texas drew first blood in the fourth minute when Kristin Cummins flashed into the goal area and got her boot on a nifty cross from Taylor Knaack sending it to the back of the net to give Oklahoma State its first deficit of the season. Texas carried a 1-1 lead into the half, but the Cowgirls knotted the game in the 57th minute. The statistics beared out the even play with both teams logging 19 shots and six corner kick opportunities.
Increased offense ... The Longhorns have 28 goals through 15 games this season. It marks their highest output at this point of the season since 2007 when Texas notched 32 through 15 games. In 2010, Texas had 25 goals after 15 games and in 2009 they yielded just 19 tallies. The most goals the Longhorns have scored through 15 games is 46 in 2000.
Overtime ... Texas has played three overtime games this season with a 2-1 double OT win over USC, a 3-2 double OT loss to Kansas and a 1-1 double OT draw against No. 2 Oklahoma State.
Gaul piling up the shutouts ... With her back-to-back road shutouts against Houston and Georgia and home blankings of UTSA, Dartmouth and Oklahoma, Alexa Gaul increased her career shutout tally to 17 to move her into second place on Texas' all-time list. Dianna Pfenninger (29 - 2005-08) owns the school record.
Gaul moving up the career wins list ... With her nine wins on the season, Alexa Gaul has moved into a tie with Alex Gagarin (28 - 2001-04) for second place on Texas' list for career goalie wins. Gaul now only trails Dianna Pfenninger who owns the school record with 54 wins in net between 2005-08.
Gaul coming off a banner year ... Junior goalkeeper Alexa Gaul is coming off one of the best goalie seasons in school history. Last season, Gaul registered a 0.99 goals-against average and eight shutouts to earn All-Big 12 Second Team recognition. The GAA ranked fourth on UT's single-season list and the eight shutouts ranked second. She enters the season with 11 career shutouts (No. 5 UT career) and a 1.36 GAA (No. 4 UT career).
Three consecutive games with three or more goals ... With their offensive output against Houston (3-0), Georgia (3-0) and Cal State Northridge (5-1), the Longhorns registered three consecutive games with three or more goals for the first time since 2006.
Three consecutive wins by three or more goals ... With their three straight victories over Houston (3-0), Georgia (3-0) and Cal State Northridge (5-1), the Longhorns recorded three consecutive wins by three or more goals for the first time in the history of Texas women's soccer.
Making them count ... Senior captain Lucy Keith has eight goals for her career and all eight goals are game-winners. Her eight game-winning goals ranks fifth on Texas' career list tied with Kylee Wosnuk (8 - 2000-02), Katie Baruth (8 - 1996-98) and Carol Finch (8 - 1995-97).
Petrucelli ranks among top coaches ... Chris Petrucelli currently ranks eighth all-time among Division I women's soccer coaches in winning percentage (.744) and victories (338). Among active Division I coaches he ranks eighth in winning percentage and eighth in victories. His 338 wins rank 15th all-time across all NCAA divisions.
Two All-Big 12 performers return ... The Longhorns return a pair of All-Big 12 performers from 2010. Goalkeeper Alexa Gaul and midfielder Kylie Doniak were both tabbed All-Big 12 Second Team in 2010. Gaul registered eight shutouts and a 0.99 GAA and Doniak scored 23 points on seven goals and nine assists.
Three former Big 12 All-Newcomer Team members return ... The Longhorns return three players who have garnered Big 12 All-Newcomer honors in the past, including defender Nina Frausing Pedersen and midfielder Lexi Harris from 2010 and forward Hannah Higgins from 2009.
Transfers of Influence ... Vanessa Ibewuike and Taylor Knaack were two of the 10 players named as Transfers of Influence by Soccer America. Ibewuike made the All-Big Ten Freshman Team in 2009 when she led Purdue with five assists. Knaack started 22 games for Notre Dame in 2009 when she scored six goals and scored one goal in a handful of games in 2010. She played in 27 games in 2008 after missing 2007 with an ACL injury.
Freshman of Influence ... Freshman midfielder Clarissa Wedemeyer was one of 10 players named as Freshmen of Influence by Soccer America. A midfielder out of Colleyville, Texas, she was a member of the U.S. U-17 National Team and played for the Dallas Texans '93 Red squad. She served as the Texans' team captain in 2008 where she helped lead her team to the USYS National Championship en route to picking up the Golden Boot Award as the top goal scorer in the tournament.
Higgins assists ... Hannah Higgins has recorded a total of eight assists this season, ranking her second in total assists among Big 12 players. Her assists per game ratio of .57 ranks her second in the Big 12 behind Kansas' Whitney Berry (.73). Higgins' assists for this season has also moved her into 10th place tied with Courtney Gaines (2007), Kylee Wosnuk (2000) and McAuliffe (1997) in Texas' assists list.
Double-digit wins ... Texas is one win away from recording 10 or more wins in a season for the 11th time in the last 12 years. The only time Texas did not reach the 10-win plateau is 2009 when the Longhorns finished 9-9-3. One win or two ties would guarantee the Longhorns avoid a losing season for the 12th consecutive season. The last time Texas finished below .500 is 1999 when the Horns posted an 8-9-2 mark.
Scoring first ... The Longhorns have scored first on nine occasions this season, going on to post a 7-1-1 mark in such games. Texas scored first in the season-opener vs. Loyola Marymount before allowing three goals in the second half in a 3-1 loss. The Horns' opponents have scored first in six games and Texas in 2-4 in such games. The Longhorns have posted come-from-behind wins vs. USC (2-1, 2ot) and Missouri (2-1) after allowing the games' opening goals. Texas allowed the first two goals of the game against Kansas, but responded two knot the game at 2-2 before falling in double overtime.