TCU Wraps Up Regular Season At SDSU
10/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 30, 2008
FORT WORTH, Texas - For the second-consecutive season, the TCU women's soccer team will conclude regular-season action at San Diego State.
The Horned Frogs, who dropped a 1-0 overtime decision to SDSU last fall, will begin action at the SDSU Sports Deck on Friday at 3 p.m. PT.
Scouting TCU
Heading into its final regular-season contest, TCU has produced the most overall victories in program history at 12-3-2. The Horned Frogs, who are 3-2-1 in conference play, have fallen only once on the road during the 2008 campaign, dropping a 1-0 match at Wyoming on Oct. 10. During the fall, TCU has excelled on the offensive side of the ball, netting 42 goals, while racking up 40 assists. On defense, the Purple and White have shutout seven different opponents, including MWC foe Utah, 2-0.
Individually, Jordan Calhoun has continued to shine, netting 14 goals and two assists. The freshman currently needs only one more goal to break the all-time single-season goal scoring mark at TCU. Junior Lizzy Karoly has also excelled this fall, scoring nine goals, while also assisting on six others. In the net, sophomore Kelsey Walters has been dominate at times this season, keeping opponents off the scoreboard five times, while posting 66 saves, and a 0.76 Goals Against Average.
The Horned Frogs are currently ranked No. 8 in the NSCAA Central Regional Rankings, while also being ranked No. 7 in Soccer Buzz Magazine's Regional Rankings.
Scouting San Diego State
In its last outing, San Diego State snapped a five-match road losing streak with a 1-1 double overtime tie at New Mexico last Friday. The Aztecs, who are 6-8-3 overall and 2-3-1 in MWC play, need a victory to secure a position in the Mountain West Conference Tournament next week.
Against UNM, the Aztecs jumped out to an early lead when sophomore Cat Walker found the back of the net at the 21:34 mark. Walker's goal was the lone goal for San Diego State during the match. The Lobo's outshot SDSU, 22-12, but both teams recorded six shots on goal.
On the season, San Diego State has found the back of the net 30 times in 214 shot attempts. The Aztecs, who have compiled a 5-1-1 record at home this fall, have scored 18 of their 30 goals in the second half of matches and are led on offense by Walker who has recorded nine goals and two assists. On defense, Aubree Southwick has started 13 games, while allowing 21 goals on the season. Senior Christi Yount, who is 2-1-2 on the year, played extensively against New Mexico, recording five saves in 110 minutes of action. Yount has been the main keeper for the Aztecs during the last four games of the season.
All-Time Series
The Horned Frogs and Aztecs have faced each other fives times entering this weekend's contest. SDSU leads the all-time series 4-1-0. The Purple and White's lone win against San Diego State came in 2006 when former senior Casey Glass found the back of the net in the 50th minute to lead TCU to a 1-0 victory in Fort Worth.
Follow The Horned Frogs
Fans not able to attend Friday's final regular-season match against San Diego State can follow the game live by logging onto www.gofrogs.com. There you can find links to gametracker under the schedule tab.
Calhoun Stepping Up In Mountain West
After posting the best goal-scoring mark by a freshman during the early portion of the season, freshman Jordan Calhoun has continued to find the back of the net during conference play. Calhoun, a Norman, Okla., native, has posted goals in three of TCU's six conference matches, including two against New Mexico on Oct. 5. Overall, the freshman has scorched opponents in 11 of TCU's 16 contests this fall, including the tying goal against Texas Tech last weekend.
Defense Coming Up Big
The Purple and White have made a point this season of keeping opponents away from their goal. In its last six outings, TCU has recorded one shutout, upended a Big 12 opponent, while only allowing two goals against MWC teams currently either receiving votes or ranked regionally. Included in that stretch, is a 1-0 heartbreaker to MWC regular-season champion BYU in which the Cougars scored in the final moments of the contest after the Horned Frogs had held BYU off the scoreboard for the entire match.
Call It A Comeback
During Dan Abdalla's four years at TCU, the Horned Frogs have never faced a 2-0 deficit in the second half and come back to win the contest. Last Sunday, TCU bucked the trend as the Purple and White rallied to upend the Red Raiders, who are currently No. 8 in the Big 12 standings, 3-2.
In Lubbock, Alex Mechalske, a defender from Fort Worth, got the Horned Frogs started following a shot by Lizzy Karoly that was deflected in the 49th minute. Freshman Jordan Calhoun tied the match up 7 seconds later, netting her 14th goal of the season off another deflected shot in the box. Finally, Karoly would give TCU its first lead in the match in the 61st minute off an assist by Kaylie Garcia. On the play, Garcia fired the ball towards the goal, but the ball was deflected and Karoly was there to put the ball into the back of the net for the game-winner.
TCU Stacks Up Well Against The Best
With one match remaining on the 2008 regular-season, the Frogs have posted a 2-2-1 record against teams currently ranked in either the national or regional rankings.
The Purple and White's two wins came against Arizona State, who is currently ranked No. 10 in the West Region and Rice, who is receiving votes in the Central Region. In both of TCU's defeats, which came at the hands of No. 12 Texas and regionally ranked BYU, TCU has fallen by only one goal, while the lone tie came on Oct. 24 against UNLV. The Rebels are receiving votes in the regional polls entering this weekend's matches.
Conference Coming Down The Backstretch
BYU has clinched the No. 1 spot in the conference tournament next week by winning the regular-season title, while TCU, UNLV and Utah are all close behind heading into the final weekend of play. TCU, who upended Utah, 2-0, will have to beat San Diego State and have Air Force upend the Utes to receive the automatic bye into the conference semifinals in Las Vegas next week.
In The Polls
The TCU women's soccer team currently sits at No. 8 in the Central Region by the NSCAA and No. 7 by Soccer Buzz.
The Purple and White were previously ranked in both Soccer Buzz and by the NSCAA this fall. TCU currently sits at No. 59 in the official RPI rankings for the 2008 season.
Rewriting The Record Books
As a team, TCU currently sits at No. 1 in single-season records in assists with 40 on the year. The Frogs entering Friday's match are currently at No. 2 all-time in shutouts during a single-season, while also posting the second-best goal total in a single-season. The Horned Frogs have also posted the single-best point total in a single-season.
Individually, Jordan Calhoun needs only one more goals to become the all-time leader in goals scored in a single season, while senior midfielder Caroline Starns currently sits at No. 2 in assists for a single season with seven on the year. Calhoun also only needs five more points to surpass Sarah Campbell as the all-time leader in point posted in a single season, while Lizzy Karoly currently sits at No. 4 in goals scored for a career. On defense, sophomore Kelsey Walters needs only three more shutouts to move into a tie for first all-time in shutouts for an individual season.
Up Next
TCU will travel to Las Vegas, Nev., for the Mountain West Conference Championships. TCU will have to wait until Sunday to find out the date and time they will next be in action.
