No. 17 Soccer preview: at Texas Tech [Oct. 25, 2018]

Soccer Match 18: No. 17 Texas (13-2-2, 5-2-1 Big 12) at Texas Tech (12-4-1, 4-3-1 Big 12)

Time: Friday, Oct. 25 – 7 p.m. CT

Location: Lubbock, Texas (John Walker Soccer Complex)

Tickets: LINK

COMPLETE TEXAS MATCH NOTES: LINK

Live Stats: LINK

TV: The match is scheduled to be broadcast on FOX Sports Southwest+ and can be accessed through the FOX Sports Go app.

Free Kicks:

Junior forward Cyera Hintzen is attempting to accomplish something that only two players (Nebraska's Morgan Marlborough - 2010 and West Virginia's Frances Silva - 2013) have ever done in Big 12 history, lead the conference in goals, assists and points. The Garland, Texas, native is currently on top of all three categories in the league with 10 goals, nine assists and 29 points through 17 matches.

The Burnt Orange & White lead their overall series against Texas Tech by a 16-6-4 margin and have won the last three matches between the two teams. UT is just 6-4-0 all-time against the Red Raiders in Lubbock. Overall, the recent series has been closely contested as 12 of the last 13 meetings have either been settled by one goal or required overtime.

The Longhorns are currently riding a shutout streak of 186:41 dating back to the 3-2 win over Oklahoma on Oct. 12. This marks the second-longest such skein for Texas' defense this season, trailing only a 236:22 stretch from Sept. 7 against Texas State through UTRGV on Sept. 14.

Texas' offense is piling up numbers in some categories that haven't been seen around the program in over a decade. The Longhorns' 39 goals through 17 matches this year are the most for the team since scoring 48 over a full 25-match season back in 2007 (record is 57 goals in 2002). UT's 42 assists and 120 total points in 17 matches are the most in a campaign in those categories since putting up 44 assists and 140 points during that same 25-match 2007 season (records are 62 assists in 2004 and 172 points in 2002 & 2004).

With last weekend's wins over Kansas and Kansas State, Texas made program history by completing the first perfect regular-season home schedule in school annals at 10-0-0. Overall, UT has out-scored its 10 opponents at Mike A. Myers Stadium by a staggering total of 29-6.

Texas is one of just three Big 12 teams to boast five players each with three-or-more goals this season, joining Baylor and Oklahoma State. The Longhorns continue to lead the league as a team in goals (39), assists (42) and total points (120).

With Nicole Curry and Julia Grosso's nods as the Big 12 Defensive and Freshman of the Week on Tuesday, respectively, the Longhorns now boast a program record nine weekly league awards in 2018, breaking the old mark of seven set by the 2017 Texas squad.

Outshooting opponents has been important for the Longhorns' success this season as Texas owns a 10-0-1 mark when firing more shots in a contest. UT out-shot No. 13 Oklahoma State, 18-14, but was dealt a 1-1 (2OT) tie.

Texas is taking the mantra of "defending your home turf" to heart as the Longhorns are a perfect 10-0-0 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in 2018. UT has now won 11 consecutive home contests (including last year's NCAA First Round victory over North Texas) and 20 of their last 22 home match-ups overall. The program record for the longest home winning streak is 14 straight matches established over the 2004 & 2005 seasons.

After going just 2-8 during one-goal matches during the 2016 season, the Longhorns have since turned around their fortunes in such contests by going a remarkable 18-5 over their last 23 one-goal matches since beginning 2017 and are 7-2 in 2018.

Senior forward Alexa Adams has tallied at least one point in nine of her last 13 matches. Sophomore midfielder Haley Berg has now totaled two points in seven of UT's last 13 contests and junior forward Cyera Hintzen has points in eight of the last 10 matches. In all, Hintzen has registered at least one point in 13-of-17 matches this season and at least two points in 10-of-17 (she's scored goals in eight-of-17).

The Burnt Orange & White are an impressive 7-2-5 in overtime matches combining the 2017 & 2018 seasons (2-0-2 in 2018) and have gone to at least one extra session in 14 of their last 32 contests.

Texas has scored first in 12 of its 17 matches during the 2018 campaign, and the Longhorns have trailed for only 141:14 (parts of matches against Texas State, Baylor, No. 13 Oklahoma State, TCU, No. 16 West Virginia and Oklahoma) out of 1573:08 of match time so far this season. Texas has scored first in 28 of its last 38 total matches dating back to the start of 2017.

The Longhorns were ranked No. 9 in the sixth release of the NCAA Division I Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) on Monday. Texas ranks second in the Big 12, behind Baylor (fourth), and is one of five total league schools in the RPI Top 30. The Big 12 also rated first again this week in conference RPI, just ahead of the SEC and ACC.

The Longhorns have wasted no time this season jumping on their opponents as UT has outscored the opposition during the first halves of matches by a combined total of 19-6. Texas State, No. 23 UCF, Baylor, No. 13 Oklahoma State, Iowa State and Oklahoma have managed to locate the net during the opening 45 minutes of play against Texas this year.

The University of Texas at Austin Athletics