MATCH #22: Brigham Young Cougars (17-3-2) at No. 6 Texas Longhorns (14-3-5)
When: Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007 at 3 p.m. CT
Where: College Station, Texas (Aggie Soccer Stadium; 3,000 capacity)
SERIES INFO
All-time Series Record: Texas and BYU are even at 1-1-0 in the series.
First Meeting: Texas won 3-2 in overtime on Oct. 14, 2004 in Austin, Texas.
Last Meeting: Texas lost 1-0 on Sept. 12, 2005 in Provo, Utah.
Current Streak: Texas lost the last outing.
Petrucelli vs. BYU: Petrucelli is 1-1-0 against the Cougars.
Petrucelli vs. BYU (postseason): First meeting
TICKETS
All session tickets will be available to the public starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday morning at the prices listed below. All single session tickets will be sold on the day of the event. The ticket gate at the Aggie Soccer Stadium will open one hour prior to the first match.
All-Session Reserved $15
All-Session General Admission $11
All-Session GA Youth under 12 $5
Reserved Single Day $9
General Admission Adult $7
General Admission Youth (under 12) $3
General Admission Students $2
Children under two admitted free with ticketed adult
Longhorn Update
The No. 6 Texas Longhorns face Brigham Young in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Women's Soccer Championship on Thursday, Nov. 15 at 3 p.m. CST at Aggie Soccer Stadium in College Station, Texas. Both teams earned a berth by virtue of winning their conference championships. The Longhorns defeated top-seeded and nationally-ranked No. 2 Texas A&M, 2-1, on Nov. 11 for their second consecutive Big 12 Championship. The Cougars defeated UNLV, 2-1, on Nov. 10 for the Mountain West Conference Championship.
Joining Texas in the College Station sub-regional is host No. 2 Texas A&M (17-3-2) and Southland Conference champion Stephen F. Austin (13-4-2). UT has faced both teams this year, winning two of three contests.
Scouting Texas
UT enters the match with a 14-3-5 record and coming off the league tournament championship. Texas is unbeaten in the last five matches with a
3-0-2 record.
The Longhorns are ranked in the top 10 in all four national polls. Texas is No. 6 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas poll final regular season poll. UT stands at No. 7 in Soccer America magazine's ratings. The Longhorns moved up to No. 8 in the SoccerTimes.com online ranking. Texas stands at No. 11 in the online edition of SoccerBuzz.
Scouting the Cougars
Brigham Young makes its 10th appearance in 11 seasons as the lone representative from the Mountain West Tournament. The Cougars are 8-8 since its first NCAA Tournament game on Nov. 15, 1997. BYU advanced to the quarterfinals in 2003 and the third round in 1998 but missed the tournament in 2006. Its last tournament appearance was a 4-3 loss to Weber State on Nov. 10, 2005.
BYU is ranked in the top 25 in three of four national polls. The Cougars are No. 22 in the SoccerTimes.com rankings, No. 24 in the SoccerBuzz final regular season poll and No. 25 in the NSCAA/adidas poll.
Horns Down Aggies for Second Consecutive Big 12 Tournament Championship
After going to penalty kick sessions in the first two rounds of the 2007 Big 12 Soccer Championship, the second-seeded Longhorns ousted top-seed Texas A&M, 2-1, in regulation to win back-to-back conference tournament championships on Sunday, Nov. 11 at Blossom Soccer Stadium in San Antonio.
The Longhorns earned the second automatic bid in program history. UT swept the tournament honors. Junior goalkeeper Dianna Pfenninger became the first goalkeeper in conference history to win the Offensive MVP award. NSCAA All-American Kasey Moore was named Defensive MVP to complete the sweep for the second season.
Big 12 Has Big Total In NCAAs
Five Big 12 teams earned berths in the 2007 NCAA tournament. Texas A&M, Missouri and Colorado are hosting the first and second rounds. Missouri (13-7-1) faces Southeast Missouri State (12-2-3) in Columbia, Mo., and Colorado (9-7-4) hosts Hawaii (15-4-2) in Boulder, Colo., on Friday, Nov. 16. Oklahoma State (13-5-3) takes on San Diego (15-2-3) in Los Angeles.
Texas Against the Field
The Longhorns are 6-16-0 against the field of teams in the College Station sub-regional. While the records are slanted because of the 4-15-0 record against host school Texas A&M, the Longhorns are 4-3 in the last three years against the field. That record is 4-1 in 2005 and 2006 including three wins in the last four meetings against the Aggies. Texas won 4-0 over Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 23, 2007 -- the only meeting in the series.
NCAA Tournament Has Come Full Circle For Horns
Texas' first two tournament matches were played in College Station. UT lost 2-1 on Nov. 16, 2001 and Nov. 15, 2002 to Southern Methodist in the first round of the tournament. The Longhorns were ranked in the top 10 in both meetings as UT stood at No. 10 in 2001 and No. 8 in 2002. UT lost the opening round match for three consecutive seasons before advancing to the third round in 2004.
First-round matches will be played Friday, Nov. 16, at campus sites, and second-round matches will be played Sunday, Nov. 18, at the same campus sites. The two first-round contests hosted by Texas A&M will be played Thursday, November 15 with the second-round game to be played Saturday, November 17. Third-round games will be played at on-campus sites November 23, 24 or 25. Quarterfinal matches will be played November 30, December 1 or 2 at on-campus sites as well. Times will be announced.
Horns Extend Postseason Streak to Seven
The Longhorns are making their seventh consecutive and all-time NCAA Tournament appearance, with all coming in the last seven years (2001-07).
UT has an all time record of 3-6-1 in NCAA Tournament games since earning its first bid in 2001. Texas has advanced to the third round two of the last three seasons. Two of the three wins came in 2004 when the Longhorns advanced to the third round before losing to Portland, 2-0. The third victory came in the first round on Nov. 10, 2006 in a 4-0 shutout over Long Island University. The lone UT tie in postseason history was 1-1 draw against Connecticut in the second round on Nov. 13, 2006 (the Longhorns advanced 3-1 on penalty kicks to the third round).
Texas vs. Texas A&M Series History
Texas is 4-15-0 in the all-time series but is surging as of late, having won three of the last four meetings with the Aggies. Texas took home a second tournament championship in defeating the Aggies on Sunday, Nov. 11 in the Big 12 Soccer Championship. UT won its first conference postseason match over the Aggies in five attempts. UT is 1-2 in Big 12 championship matches against TAMU losing in 2001 and 2004. Texas also dropped a decision in the first round of the 1995 SWC Tournament.
Nelsons Familiar With Ladyjacks Program
Longhorns' assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Nicole Nelson spent three years as the head coach at Stephen F. Austin (2002-04). While at SFA in Nacogdoches, Nelson not only compiled a 33-19-9 (.615) overall record, but was also named the Southland Conference (SLC) Coach of the Year twice (2003-04). Additionally, she guided the Ladyjacks to the 2004 SLC Championship and to the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2003 as SFA captured the conference tournament title and posted a school-record 15 wins. Her younger brother and UT Director of Soccer Operations, Luke, is also familiar with the program as he was a graduate assistant with the soccer program while earning his master's degree in biology.
2007 NCAA Women's College Cup
The 26th annual NCAA Division I Women's College Cup will be played on Friday, Dec. 7 and Sunday, Dec. 9 at Aggie Soccer Stadium in College Station, Texas.
North Carolina captured its 18th NCAA title with a 2-1 victory against Notre Dame in 2006. Tar Heels Robin Gayle and Heather O'Reilly garnered Most Outstanding Player honors for offense and defense, respectively.
All-Big 12 Tournament Team Players On Current Roster
Three current Longhorns are prior Big 12 All-Tournament team selections. NSCAA All-American senior forward Kelsey Carpenter and junior goalkeeper Dianna Pfenninger are repeat honorees as both garnered team nods in 2005 and then garnered Offensive and Defensive MVP accolades in 2006. Pfenninger became the first person to win both awards as she took home this year's Offensive MVP award for her performance in the penalty kick sessions of the first two matches and her assist on the game-winning goal in the championship game. Junior defender Kasey Moore was a first-time selection in 2006 but took home Defensive MVP honors for her stellar performance in the tournament.
Texas Soccer Ranked in Top 15 in National Polls
UT is ranked in the top 10 in all four national polls. The Longhorns are No. 6 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas poll final regular season poll. UT stands at No. 7 in Soccer America magazine's ratings. The Longhorns moved up to No. 8 in the SoccerTimes.com online ranking. Texas stands at No. 11 in the online edition of SoccerBuzz.
Texas' Route to the Championships
The Longhorns trip to the 2007 Big 12 Championship match was not an easy one. Texas used a shootout in both rounds to advance to the next game. In the quarterfinals, Texas upended seventh-seeded Colorado, 4-2, after a 0-0 tie in 110 minutes on Wednesday, Nov. 7. In the semifinals, UT ousted sixth-seeded Oklahoma State, 5-3, in the shootout after drawing 1-1 with the Cowgirls on Friday (Nov. 9) night.
Texas Defense
The Longhorns' defense has been a constant this year in keeping the opposition out of the net. UT has given up a modest 17 goals in 22 matches this year, and has held 18 teams to one goal or less including nine shutouts. UT carries a 0.73 goals-allowed average, which is slightly lower than the UT school record of 0.77 from 2006. The Horns have held their opponents to 230 overall shots, an average of 10.5 per match.
Texas Offense
The Texas offense has come alive to end the season, scoring 11 goals in the last five matches of 2007. This season, the Longhorns have scored 43 goals in 2,107 minutes. In UT's 14 wins, the Longhorns have outscored their opponents, 39-8. The offense is extremely aggressive in shots, taking 415 overall and putting 191 on frame. This year, 12 Longhorns have at least one goal, 14 have been credited with an assist, and 16 have scored at least one point in 2007. Four Longhorns Arlitt, Carpenter, Gaines and Moore -- are in double-digit point totals. Arlitt and Carpenter have two multi-goal matches each and Gaines has a multi-assist match.
Unbeaten In Overtime
Texas is unbeaten in seven overtime matches this season with a 2-0-5 record in extra period sessions. Six of the seven overtime games came against Big 12 opponents; four contests in regular-season, conference play and two in the Big 12 Soccer Tournament.
Horns Boast Season-Best, Four-Match Win Streak
The longest win streak of the season for Texas has been four at home from Sept. 21-30. UT defeated Houston, 2-0, on Friday, Sept. 21. That win was followed by a second 4-0 win on Sept. 23 over Stephen F. Austin. The Longhorns beat Wright State (Sept. 28), 2-1, in their next outing. UT opened conference play and extended its home win streak to four with a 1-0 win over Texas Tech on Sept. 30.
Texas' unbeaten streak (wins and ties) is even longer as UT went undefeated for eight matches. The streak lasted nearly three weeks, starting with a 6-0 win over UTSA on Sept. 14 and concluding with a 2-1 overtime win against Nebraska on Oct. 7.
Out-shot Opposition
Texas has out-shot its opponents 415 to 230, almost twice as many attempts as the opposing teams. The limited number of shots is reflected in the goals totals, as UT holds a distinct advantage in that category, scoring 43 and allowing 17. The shot attack is balanced as the Longhorns have attempted 191 first-period shots and 193 second-period shots. UT tallied 19 shots in the first overtime against 12 in the second overtime period.
Moore Adds to Texas Offense
NSCAA All-American junior defender Kasey Moore (Mission Viejo, Calif.) has a strong case as one of the top offensive threats on the team. She leads the team in game-winning goals with five this season, a mark that has her in the top 10 in the UT record book. The 2007 Big 12 Tournament Defensive MVP is tied for second on the team in goals with nine and third in points with 22.
The 2007 Big 12 Defender of the Year has also contributed on defense helping the Longhorns to nine shutouts and a 0.73 goals-against average. Moore garnered attention as the league's top defender (regular season and in tournament play) in addition to All-Big 12 First-Team and Academic All-Big 12 Second-Team selections.
Carpenter on Edge of Setting History
NSCAA All-American senior forward Carpenter is ranked in the top 10 of six career categories. The 2007 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award honoree stands third in points (96), goals (38), and game-winning goals (her four-year total of 12 is just one shy of the UT school record), sixth in assists with 20, fifth in matches played with 87 and eighth in matches started with 74.
Pfenninger Rewriting the Texas Record Book
Junior goalkeeper Dianna Pfenninger is having a career year. After shattering single season records in 2006, she is tearing through the Texas career record books with her second consecutive, record-breaking campaign. She has three records in the top 10 of four single season categories and leads or is in the top three in five career columns.
Pfenninger stands:
· First in career wins (39), shutouts (17) and minutes played (5,746).
· First in single season minutes played (2,116 in 2006), shutouts (seven in 2006), wins (16 in 2006). Her 0.70 goals-against average this season would shatter the school record of 0.85 she set in 2006.
· Second in goalkeeper minutes played with 2,067 minutes and second in wins (14), seventh in saves 88, and tied for third in shutouts (6) in 2007.
Rookie Forward Leading UT Offense
Freshman forward Niki Arlitt is having an enviable rookie campaign. The Houston native leads the team in points (25) and goals (10) and is tied for second with five assists. She has started 18 of 19 games after missing three of her first four matches in 2007.
Arlitt Starts UT Career with Seven-Match, Point-Scoring Streak
Arlitt started her UT career recording a point in her first seven matches. She started the streak at Arizona State on Sept. 7, scoring the game-winning goal in the 1-0 decision. After missing the next game against Arizona, she reeled off at least one point in six more contests, including her first career conference point (an assist in a 1-0 win against Texas Tech on Sept. 30). Her streak ended in a 1-1 tie at Iowa State on Oct. 5.
Gaines Gaining Ground in Assisting Goals
University of Houston transfer and junior midfielder Courtney Gaines leads the team in assists with seven this season. The Sugar Land, Texas native netted three in a 6-0 win over UTSA (Sept. 14), assisting three of the first four goals in the game. The first-year Longhorn added an assist in three other wins -- a 4-0 decision over Houston on Sept. 21, a 1-0 contest at Baylor on Oct. 14, and a 3-2 overtime thriller against No. 12 Missouri on Oct. 19. Her latest credit came off a corner kick she placed inside the box for an Emily Anderson (Austin, Texas) goal in the 2007 Big 12 Tournament championship match.
Campanelli Camped Out on Defense
Longhorns' freshman defender Erica Campanelli has adjusted to the defensive line in her first year on the pitch. Surrounded by a trio of nationally-recognized defenders, Campanelli has started all 22 matches and played 2,052 minutes the highest among rookies and third overall on the 2007 roster (behind Moore's total of 2,083 and Pfenninger's sum of 2,065).
The Plano, Texas native has helped the Texas defense hold the opposition to a 0.73 goals-against average and blank nine opponents.
Freshmen Starters
Six true freshmen have at least one start this year. Campanelli leads the group ahead of three other double-digit starters Arlitt (18), Highland Village, Texas native and forward Alisha Ortiz (12) and Dallas, Texas native and midfielder Kendall Campise (10). Forward Kirsten Birkhold (Scottsdale, Ariz.) has nine starts and midfielder Brooke Lee (Mesquite, Texas) has four. All have seen action in at least 18 games.
Texas Starting Lineup
Four Texas soccer players have started every match this year -- Campanelli, Carpenter, Moore and Pfenninger. Pfenninger started all 22 matches, playing 2,065 of 2,107 available minutes in goal. Moore leads all players with 2,083 minutes this year. Carpenter has totaled 1,864 minutes. Senior midfielder Greta Carter and Gaines missed one start each, with a total of 21 on the season. Junior defender Jill Gilbeau (San Diego, Calif.) totaled 20 starts in as many matches. Junior defender Stephanie Logterman (Austin, Texas) started 17 matches before her season ended with a knee injury in the second period of the Oklahoma State loss.
Ten Horns Shine on Academic All-Big 12 Team Sophomore forward Emily Anderson, who carries a 4.0 grade-point average, led the group of selections on the Academic All-Big 12 team. Joining the Austin native on the first team were Carpenter, Carter, senior midfielder Leslie Imber (Houston, Texas), Gilbeau, Logterman, Pfenninger and sophomore midfielder Stephanie Gibson (Richmond Hills, Ontario). Senior midfielder Caitlin Kennedy (Euless, Texas) and Moore were named to the second team.
ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Six Selections Six Longhorns garnered top district honors with selections to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 6 team, announced on Wednesday, Nov. 7 by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America). The group included first-team honorees Carpenter, Logterman and Gilbeau. Anderson was selected to the second team while Pfenninger and Carter rounded out the third team.
Regular Season Recap
The 2007 season proved the consistency of the Texas program. With six seniors lost to graduation and three more not returning for the season, the Longhorns were faced with a group of veteran starters and talented newcomers. The Longhorns combined well to total 13 wins against three losses and three ties. UT equaled a program-best with three ties on the season.
During non-conference play, UT defeated then-ranked No. 2 UCLA in a neutral site match and PAC-10 opponent Arizona State. Texas held a distinct advantage in the goals scored column netting 23 goals against the opponents' seven.
In conference, the Longhorns remained sharp. The Longhorns registered 17 goals and allowed eight in 10 league contests. On the other side of the ball, UT boasted one of the best defenses in the league as no team scored more than two goals and UT blanked two opponents. This contributed to Texas' position in the win-loss column as UT has the second-lowest number of losses among Big 12 schools in overall (3) and conference play (2).
In individual categories, Arlitt led the team during the regular season in goals (10) and points (25). Gaines had the most assists with six. Pfenninger won 13 of her 19 games in goal and carried a 0.75 goals-allowed average (GAA).
UT Has Good Shot At The Half
The Longhorns are unbeaten in 14 of its 15 matches this year when tied or ahead at the half. UT is 8-0 when winning at halftime and 3-1-3 when tied at intermission. The lone loss came against No. 25 Oklahoma State (1-0) on the road. Texas has the ability to fight back, winning two of four matches when trailing heading into the locker room.
