Conference play resumes this weekend for the Texas women's soccer team. After losing the first league match to Texas A&M two weeks ago, the Longhorns travel to Lubbock and Waco looking to improve their conference record to 2-1.
The last time out, No. 22 Texas saw its season record drop to 4-3 with a tough 3-1 loss to Portland. The No. 6 Pilots are the third top-25 team Texas has lost to so far - Clemson and Texas A&M were the first two.
However, Texas continues to show its ability to bounce back, as they remain undefeated in contests immediately following a loss this season. The Longhorns have used 10 goals in the two games against No. 16 Michigan and Tulane to post a 2-0 record after a defeat.
Texas head coach Chris Petrucelli is still very confident in his squad. He knows the team has run into some tough tests in the early stages of the season, but now that Big 12 play is underway, he believes the elevated competition will serve his team well.
"We've shown that we can play, so I don't think it's time to panic," Petrucelli said. "There are still a lot of games left and a lot of opportunities to take advantage of."
This past week, Texas freshman Kelsey Carpenter earned the distinction of Big 12 Newcomer of the Week for Sept. 21. She is the first Longhorns player to earn a conference weekly honor this year. Carpenter scored three points against Tulane last Friday, marking her second three-point game this season.
While Texas Tech is the second conference competition for the Longhorns, Texas will serve as the first Big 12 match for the Red Raiders. Texas Tech has compiled a 3-5 non-conference record as well as a 2-2 record on its home turf.
Baylor squares off against Texas A&M on Friday before facing the Longhorns on Sunday. The matches are also the first of the conference season for the Bears, who posted a 3-3-1 non-conference record but are 2-0-1 at home. Baylor is led by forward Anna Schuch, who paces the team with 10 points, including three goals and four assists, on the year.
Last season, Texas had no trouble taking care of business against the same two teams. The Longhorns pitched two shutouts and scored a combined 11 goals to earn two much-needed victories.
Petrucelli hopes to see the same type of performance this weekend. However, he would really like to see one of his star forwards, Kelly McDonald, get into the action during this trip. During Texas' two contests against Baylor and Tech last season, McDonald posted 12 points, including four goals against the Bears.
"We're hoping that McDonald will be healthy enough," Petrucelli said. "She's been struggling with some injuries, but she has looked good in practice this week."
Texas faces Texas Tech tonight in Lubbock, with the kickoff slated for 7 p.m. The Longhorns take on Baylor on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Be the first to comment on this article!