Women's Soccer Ready For Daytime Battle With BYU
10/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 15, 2008
FORT WORTH, Texas - The TCU women's soccer program will host BYU on Thursday at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium. Start time for the match is set for Noon in Fort Worth and will mark FWISD day at the stadium.
The Horned Frogs will battle the Cougars on Thursday and then turn around and take on MWC foe Utah under the lights on Saturday night. Start time for the match against the Utes will take place at 7 p.m.
Scouting TCU
TCU is off to its best start in program history with a 10-2-1 mark, including a 6-1-1 record at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium. The Horned Frogs enter today's showdown having netted 36 goals on the season, while holding opponents off the scoreboard six times.
Against Air Force last Sunday, TCU scored three second half goals to down the Falcons 3-1 at the Cadet Soccer Stadium. For the match, TCU outshot Air Force, 22-8, including 14-6 in the second half. The Horned Frogs, who moved to 10-2-1 overall and 2-1-0 in Mountain West Conference play, have now posted the most wins in program history since 2000.
TCU is currently ranked No. 7 in the Central Region by the NSCAA/Adidas regional rankings and No. 6 by Soccer Buzz Magazine. The Purple and White have recorded the best overall record in the Mountain West Conference heading into tomorrow's match, while also posting the most goals of any conference team. Finally, the Horned Frogs are currently receiving votes in Soccer Buzz's national rankings.
Scouting BYU
BYU comes into today's matchup having recorded a 10-5-0 record. The Cougars, who are undefeated in conference action at 3-0-0, are on a four-match winning streak. BYU enters today's contest having shutout eight opponents this fall.
This past week, Cougar forwards Kassidy Christensen and Lauren Anderson scored in the first half to help BYU to a 2-0 win over San Diego State. Overall, the Cougars' 3-0 conference start is their best since they went undefeated in conference play (8-0) in 2002. The team has not allowed a goal in MWC play.
The Cougars are currently ranked No. 13 in the Central Region in the latest Soccer Buzz regional rankings. Overall, BYU is led on offense by Lauren Anderson and Katie Larkin. Both have had solid seasons on the pitch during the 2008 campaign. On defense, the Cougars have played both McKinzie Olson and Aleena Shelton between the posts. Olson currently has a 3-3-0 mark with 38 saves on the season.
Scouting Utah
The Utes come into Saturday's match having recorded a 6-7-2 record. Overall, Utah is carrying a lot of momentum as they entered this week having won its first back-to-back wins of the year, including a 3-1 defeat of defending MWC champion UNLV.
Before last week, Utah had scored two goals in a game only three times and had yet to score more than twice in a contest. The Utes exploded for seven combined goals in victories against San Diego State and UNLV.
Junior midfielder Kelly Isleib was selected as the Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Monday.
Isleib earned the award following a stellar weekend in which she led the Utes to a pair of conference victories with two breakout offensive performances. In last Thursday's 4-1 victory against San Diego State, Isleib scored the game-winning goal as she put back her own rebound off of a penalty kick and assisted on three other Utah goals.
All-Time Series
The Horned Frogs are 0-6-0 all-time against BYU. The Cougars upended TCU twice during the 2007 season, including dropping the Horned Frogs in the opening-round of the conference tournament.
The Horned Frogs are 2-2-0 all-time against Utah. In 2007, Lizzy Karoly netted two goals in the first half to lead TCU to a 3-0 conference victory over No. 22 Utah at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium.
TCU And Regional Rankings
The TCU women's soccer team garnered its first-ever national ranking from Soccer Buzz Magazine last Tuesday as the Horned Frogs landed at No. 30. The Frogs are currently receiving votes in the poll after dropping a 1-0 match to Wyoming over the weekend.
Also, the Purple and White remain just outside the NSCAA Top 25 after receiving votes last weekend. The Horned Frogs currently sit at No. 7 in the Central Region by the NSCAA and No. 6 by Soccer Buzz.
TCU Promotions This Week
Tomorrow's match against BYU will mark FWISD day at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium, while the match against Utah on Saturday will mark Alumni Night at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium.
Bench Paves The Way Against Falcons
This past Sunday, TCU relied on its bench to upstart the Horned Frog attack. In all, Chelsey Wilgenburg, Courtney Johnson, Kelly Faerber, Kaitlyn Shelledy, Michelle Nguyen, Katie Runyon and Kaylie Garcia rallied the Frogs for most of the second half to upend Air Force, 3-1.
Overall, Wilgenburg posted a season-high five shots during the match, while Runyon and Nguyen were key components in goals scored. All seven student-athletes saw their most extensive action in a half during conference play.
RPI Kind To Horned Frogs
TCU currently sits at No. 24 overall in the first RPI rankings of the 2008 season. The No. 24 ranking is the highest ranking ever in the history of the program. Overall, the Horned Frogs have the highest RPI ranking by any Mountain West school heading into tomorrow's match with BYU.
Rewriting The Record Books
As a team, TCU currently sits at No. 1 in single-season records in assists with 34 on the year. The Frogs entering tomorrow's match are currently at No. 2 all-time in shutouts during a single-season, while also posting the fifth-best goal total in a single-season. The Horned Frogs have also posted the second-best point total entering this weekend.
Individually, Jordan Calhoun needs only three more goals to become the all-time leader in goals scored in a single season, while senior midfielder Caroline Starns currently sits at No. 3 in assists for a single season with six on the year. On defense, sophomore Kelsey Walters needs only one more shutout to move into third all-time in shutouts for an individual season with five.
Calhoun Continues Domination
Jordan Calhoun found the back of the net once again in Sunday's 3-1 victory over MWC foe Air Force. The Norman, Okla., native has now scored in nine contests this fall, while also moving into No. 2 all-time in a single-season in points scored with 26 points midway through the season.
With her lone goal, the freshman moved into sole-possession of No. 2 all-time in goals scored in a single season in TCU history. Calhoun's 12 goals on the year is the best mark by any player under Abdalla and currently sits as the top mark in the Mountain West Conference in 2008. Calhoun's 12 goals on the year are the most in a single-season since Sherry Dick netted 11 in 2000.
TCU Building On Momentum
The Horned Frogs, who moved to 10-2-1 on the year and 2-1-0 in conference action last weekend, have now posted the most victories in a single-season under Abdalla and the most in school history since 2000.
Horned Frogs Continue NCAA Domination
TCU's success has been noticeable while viewing the NCAA statistics this fall. Overall, the Horned Frogs have placed one student-athlete in the top-30 of the NCAA in two different categories. Freshman sensation Jordan Calhoun ranks No. 15 in points per game and No. 7 overall in goals per contest.
As a team, TCU sits in the top-30 in three different categories. The Horned Frogs have posted the 11th-best scoring offense in the nation, while ranking No. 28 overall in goals-against-average. Finally, the Frogs are 19th overall in winning percentage this fall.
Mountain West Conference Statistics Update
The Horned Frogs lead the conference in eight different categories after 13 matches.
Overall, TCU obtains the top-spot in shots, points, goals, goals per game, assists, assists per game, goals allowed and goals-against-average. On offense, either Lizzy Karoly or Jordan Calhoun rank first or second overall in six different areas, while goalkeeper Kelsey Walters sits atop the conference in save percentage.
Firing Away Inside The Box
TCU set a new conference and school record against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, recording a 57-1 shot advantage against the Lady Lions. The 57 shots, which were the most attempted by a MWC school since the conferences inception, currently ranks as the second-most attempts in the NCAA in a single-match in 2008. The Horned Frogs' 88 shots attempts in the last two matches are the most by a single squad this fall in a two-consecutive matches.
Up Next
TCU will close out its 2008 home season against UNLV next Friday. The match, which will mark senior day at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium, is set for 7 p.m.
