The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Soccer preview: at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi [Sept. 5, 2014]
09.04.2014 | Soccer
Longhorns look to continue their unbeaten start to the 2014 campaign.
Texas (2-0-2) at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (1-1-1)
Friday, Sept. 5 – 7 p.m. Central
Dugan Family Soccer & Track Stadium (1,000) – Corpus Christi, Texas
Television: The match will be streamed live at GoIslanders.com for a one-time charge of $5.95. Link to access is here.
Internet Audio: None Available
WE'RE STILL UNBEATEN!
Through the first four matches of the 2014 campaign, the Texas soccer team remains unbeaten at 2-0-2. Now that's definitely a big deal, but even moreso when you consider that this marks only the THIRD TIME in program history that the 'Horns haven't suffered a defeat through the initial four trips to the pitch. UT was a perfect 4-0-0 to begin 2008 and 3-0-1 to start 2010.
ABBY NAMED TO THE TDS TEAM OF THE WEEK!
For her outstanding efforts against No. 22 Arkansas and Nevada, junior goalkeeper Abby Smith has been selected as the netminder on the Sept. 3 version of Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week. She started off the weekend by making a season-best seven saves in shutting out the nationally-ranked Razorbacks during a 0-0 (2OT) deadlock. Smith followed that up with five saves in UT's 5-1 rout of Nevada.
AGAINST THE LONE STAR STATE UNDER KELLY
Heading into Friday's match against at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas, under third year head coach Angela Kelly, is 5-4-1. UT is a solid 4-1 against Lone Star State squads in the friendly confines of Mike A. Myers Stadium, but just 1-3 on the road and 0-0-1 at neutral sites.
OUR START IS GETTING NOTICED!
Texas' unbeaten start to 2014 of 2-0-2 hasn't gone unnoticed as the Longhorns picked up three votes in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of American (NSCAA)/Continental Tire rankings. The Longhorns are currently at No. 34 in the BennettRank.com rankings.
OLIVIA HAS BEEN OUT OF THIS WORLD...
Texas freshman forward Olivia Brook has wasted little time demonstrating her immense potential for the Longhorns by scoring a team-leading three goals through her first four career matches. In the history of the UT program, three players eventually went on to earn Big 12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year honors: MF Kati McBain (2000), F Kelly Wilson (2001) and D Kasey Moore (2005). McBain started her career by scoring two goals in her first four matches on the way to tallying eight goals/13 assists/29 points for the year. Wilson equaled Brook's output with three scores in her initial four contests on the way to totaling 13 goals/12 assists/38 points. Moore had one goal in her opening four matches and registered season marks of five goals/one assists/11 points.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Dorothy once said there's no place like home. The Texas soccer squad takes that line from "The Wizard of Oz" to heart as in two-plus seasons under coach Angela Kelly, the Longhorns have posted a 15-5-3 (.717) record in the friendly confines of Myers Stadium. Last year, UT recorded a 9-0-1 mark in home contests, including a 4-0 record in Big 12 games. With the 0-0 (2OT) tie against No. 22 Arkansas in the 2014 home opener and the 5-1 triumph over Nevada, the Horns now carry an 12-match unbeaten streak into Sunday's match-up versus Montana. UT's last home loss came in a 1-0 overtime defeat to No. 19 West Virginia on Oct. 26, 2012. The top three all-time home unbeaten streaks ranked below:
Matches Record in Streak Dates of Streak
21 matches 15-0-6 Aug. 31, 2007-Oct. 31, 2008
15 matches 11-0-4 Oct. 2, 2009-Oct. 22, 2010
14 matches 14-0-0 Aug. 29, 2004-Aug. 28, 2005
Current: 12 matches 10-0-2 Aug. 23, 2013-present
Texas enters its match with Montana with an all-time record of 112-31-16 (.755) in the 16th year (1999-present) at Mike A. Myers Stadium and Soccer Field. In the 20+-year history of Texas Soccer, the Horns have registered an overall record of 134-43-18 (.733) in home games.
ONE IS GOOD BUT TWO IS BETTER...
Senior defender Brooke Gilbert and freshman forward Olivia Brook decided that one goal wasn't enough for them during the 5-1 victory over Nevada at Mike A. Myers Stadium on Aug. 31. The duo each registered the first two-goal matches of their careers to power the largest UT scoring output since a five-goal outburst back on Aug. 28, 2011 against Cal State Northridge. Gilbert got the offense going by tallying the first goal of the match at 16:51. After Nevada clawed back within one goal at 2-1 in the 18th minute, Brook and Gilbert combined for three scores at 37:23, 50:16 (Gilbert) and 51:24 to put the match away for the 'Horns.
