Horned Frogs ready for Tigers
9/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 28, 2007
FORT WORTH, Texas - The TCU soccer program returns to the pitch this week with matches against regionally ranked Colorado College and Houston. Start time for the contest against the Tigers is set for 7 p.m. on Friday at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium, while the match against the Cougars will begin at 1 p.m. in Houston on Sunday and be broadcast live on CSTV.
Last week, Colorado College (4-2-2) battled nationally ranked Oklahoma State to a 0-0 draw in Stillwater, Okla. Following its match against OSU, CC upended the University of Mississippi, 2-1.
Houston (4-2-1) comes into this Sunday's match having dropped Houston Baptist 3-1 at John O'Quinn Field in Houston. The Cougars, who are 3-0-1 at home this fall, will face off against UTSA on Friday.
Scouting TCU (3-5-0)
TCU (3-5-0) dropped a 6-2 match to No. 20 Missouri on the road last Sunday afternoon and will look to get back on track this Friday against CC. The Horned Frogs, who are currently 3-1-0 at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium, opened last week, falling to SMU in double overtime, 4-3. For the match, TCU's Cheryl Martin netted a goal with 8 seconds left to send the game into overtime.
The Horned Frogs are led on offense by freshman Jackie Torda. Torda during the early portion of the season has netted five goals and posted two assists.
Scouting Colorado College (4-2-2)
CC opened its season tieing St. Marys College, 2-2, in double overtime. The Tigers followed with a 1-0 setback to the University of California. During the season, Colorado College has posted wins over McNeese State, Davidson, Loyola and Mississippi.
CC is currently ranked No. 9 and No.7, respectively, in the Central Region polls published by the NSCAA and SoccerBuzz.com.
Scouting Houston (4-2-1)
Houston comes into its Friday match with UTSA, having went 1-2-0 in its last three contest. The Cougars, who opened the year winning three consecutive matches, including two in overtime, dropped a 4-0 contest to nationally ranked Texas on Sept. 21.
This season, the Cougars have posted seven goals on 39 shots. UH, who has netted four of its seven goals in the second half, is led on offense by Islara Rodriguez and Lauri Byrne. Both have posted two goal apiece and on assist.
Last Time Out (Horned Frogs drop heartbreaker to SMU)
TCU sophomore Cheryl Martin netted a goal with 8 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime, but it wasn't enough as TCU dropped a 4-3 double overtime match to SMU last Friday night at Westcott Stadium.
Jackie Torda put TCU on the board 10 minutes into the contest beating SMU goalkeeper Ashley Gunter. Torda, a freshman from Colleyville, blasted a shot from outside the box for her fourth goal of the season.
Following an SMU goal by Lauren Shepherd, Torda looked to secure her second goal of the night, but watched as her shot sailed wide.
Following back-to-back goals by SMU's Brittainy Vice and Allison Brill, TCU junior Courtney Johnson brought the Horned Frogs within one, netting a goal off a corner kick by Michelle Nguyen. Lizzy Karoly looked to tie the ballgame at 3-3 late in the contest, but failed to find the back of the net.
Finally, Martin sent the ballgame into overtime, heading the ball past SMU's Gunter off an assist from Nguyen.
After a scoreless first overtime, Nguyen appeared to break the tie early in the second overtime, but had her shot blocked by Gunter. Finally, Caitlin Carter broke the 3-3 draw in the 105th minute, beating Walters from 25 yards out to give SMU the victory.
Last Time Out (Missouri pushes past TCU)
TCU scored two second half goals, but it wasn't enough as No. 20 Missouri upended the Horned Frogs, 6-2, Sunday at Audrey J. Walton stadium.
In the first half, sophomore Michelle Nguyen looked to put TCU on the board early in the match, but had her shot saved by Tiger goalkeeper Mallory Forst.
Following two Missouri goals by Katya Hessel, TCU sophomore Chelsea White tried to connect from inside the box, but watched as her shot sailed high.
After the half, MU's Alysha Bonnick increased the Missouri lead to 3-0, but Jackie Torda brought the Horned Frogs back, netting her fifth goal of the year off an assist from Cheryl Martin in the 59th minute.
Senior Angie Nickens was there to follow Toda's miss though, beating Forst in the 60th minute to bring TCU within one late in the contest.
Missouri closed out the game scoring three-consecutive goals to put a halt to the TCU comeback.
The Series
Friday's match against Colorado College will mark the ninth meeting between the two schools. CC leads the series 1-7-0. The Horned Frogs lone win against the Tigers was a 1-0 victory in 1995.
Sunday's matchup against Houston is the 10th meeting between the two Texas universities. TCU holds a 7-2-0 record against the Cougars and has won the last four meetings, including a 2-1 victory last fall in Fort Worth.
Follow The Horned Frogs
Fans not able to attend this weekends matches against Colorado College and Houston can follow the action by logging onto www.gofrogs.com. There you can find a link to gametracker.
Against CC, fans will be able to listen and watch the match by clicking on the live video link located on the schedule page.
All regular season home contests will be broadcast live via webstreaming on gofrogs.com.
Upcoming Promotions
TCU's Oct. 3 match against Prairie View A&M will mark FWISD day at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium.
All FWISD elementary school's will be given free admission to the Horned Frogs 11:30 a.m. contest.
Horned Frogs On CSTV
The TCU soccer team will have its Sunday contest against Houston broadcast nationally on a tape-delayed basis on CSTV.
During the contest, Ann Schatz will be calling the play-by-play, while Tammy Blackburn will be the color analyst.
The match against the Cougars will mark the first time in school history a women's soccer game has been broadcast nation wide. The game is set to air on Oct. 3 on CSTV.
Offensive Ball Movement
Eight games into the 2007 season, TCU has recorded 12 goals on 10 assists. Freshman forward Jackie Torda leads the Horned Frog offensive attack with five goals and two assists.
After eight matches last fall, the Horned Frogs posted 14 goals on five assists. Then junior midfielder Lauren Pope was TCU's leader on offense with four goals and one assist.
Overall, six of TCU's 14 goals came against Oral Roberts.
Extra Sessions For The Frogs
TCU's double overtime match against SMU last week marked the Horned Frog's second double overtime contest this fall. The frogs are 0-2-0 in double overtime contests this fall.
Overall, TCU is 0-2-4 in double overtime matches the past two seasons. TCU played in four extra periods last fall. All four of those matches ended in a draw.
Playing Against The Best
TCU has played three ranked opponents this fall in No. 16 Oklahoma State (exhibition), No. 6 Texas and No. 20 Missouri. In addition, TCU's Oct. 11 match against No. 23 BYU will mark the fourth NSCAA ranked opponent the Horned Frogs will face this season.
TCU In The Mountain West
So far during the 2007 season, sophomore midfielder Michelle Nguyen is tied for first in the MWC standings for assists dealt out in a match with two against SMU. Goalkeeper Kelsey Vross currently ranks second in saves with 12 against Texas.
As a team, TCU ranks second in MWC match highs in goals (3 twice), shots (28) and saves (12).
Three's The Key
Against Arizona State on Sept. 16, three different Horned Frogs saw their first collegiate action.
Horned Frog freshmen Katie Howard, Julia Slater and Nikki Wilbur all gained valuable experience against the Pac-10 school and could see more action in this weekend's matches.
Overall, eight different freshmen have now seen action this fall. Against Missouri, Slater made her first career start in a TCU uniform.
Next Opponent
TCU will come back home to face Prairie View A&M on Oct. 3. The match is set for 11:30 a.m. at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium.
