2013 TEXAS TECH SOCCER
2013 POSITION BREAKDOWN
Sophomore Briana Rohmer will also look to add a scoring boost after a highly-productive 2013 spring season in which she led all Red Raiders with four goals. MIDFIELDERS Junior Paige Strahan, a 2012 All-Big 12 First Team selection, will return to Tech’s aggressive midfield following a breakout sophomore campaign. Strahan netted eight goals in 2012, second amongst the team and top-10 among all Big 12 players. The Red Raiders will also greatly benefit from the return of junior Erin Inman, one of the premier ball handlers in the Big 12. Inman made 14 starts during the 2012 season. Meanwhile, senior team captain Conner Williams will return after suffering a season ending injury early in 2012. Williams recorded three assists in just four matches last season. She also netted four goals and six assists in 2009.
Senior Jessica Disabella will also add experience to the midfield as the senior has made 24 starts and netted seven goals in her career. She appeared in 20 of the Red Raiders 23 matches last season. BACKLINE Texas Tech returns one of the top defenders in the Big 12 in two-time NSCAA All-Central selection Jaelene Hinkle. Hinkle anchors the backline with her trademark speed, and enters the 2013 season with nine career assists – five of which came last year. She was selected as a unanimous preseason All-Big 12 defender entering this season. Tech will also look to veteran senior Hayley Haagsma in the backline. Haagsma has evolved into one of the most reliable Red Raiders on the roster having started 40 consecutive matches entering the 2013 season. The Red Raiders transferred in two defenders prior to the 2013 season in two-time Division II All-American Kansas Bayly from Columbus State (Ga.) and Jade Dapaah, a sophomore who arrives at Tech from Oklahoma. Both will look to make significant contributions in 2013. GOALKEEPERS Texas Tech will return the services of veteran senior goalkeeper Victoria Esson. Esson, a native of Christchurch, New Zealand, enters the season as the school recorded holder for career shutouts with 14 after posting seven last year. Meanwhile, she is No. 5 all-time at Texas Tech with 150 saves – she recorded a career high 88 last year. Esson finished third in the Big 12 in regular season saves and fourth in shutouts.
2013 SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN The Red Raiders, which have averaged over 1,000 fans per match during the last three seasons, will open the 2013 campaign with an enticing match against traditional Mountain West Conference power New Mexico in Albuquerque on Aug. 23 before returning to Lubbock for the squad’s home opener against Colorado State Aug. 25. The 2013 home opener will begin a five-match home stand featuring matches against Idaho State (Aug. 30), Long Beach State (Sept. 1), Cal State Fullerton (Sept. 6) and Cal State Northridge (Sept. 8). Idaho State, Long Beach State and Cal State Northridge all advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2012. The Red Raiders have won five-straight home openers dating back to 2008 and defeated Long Beach State in a thrilling double-overtime match last season in Fullerton, Calif.
Tech then hits the road once again for two conference matches beginning with a trip to Norman, Okla. to face the Sooners on Oct. 11 before returning south for a showdown with rival Baylor in Waco on Oct. 13. The 2013 campaign will conclude with three-straight Big 12 home matches beginning Friday Oct. 25 when the Red Raider host Kansas. The home stand will continue that weekend with reigning Big 12 Champion West Virginia paying its first visit to the John Walker Soccer Complex for a 12 p.m. match. The season-finale will then feature another showdown with in-state rival Texas on Nov. 1 at the John Walker Soccer Complex. The Red Raiders defeated Texas 1-0 in Austin last year and have not dropped a regular season game against the Longhorns since 2008.
Texas Tech then hits the road for six-straight matches beginning with two in Tucson, Ariz. against both Arizona State (Sept. 13) and host Arizona (Sep. 15). The road swing in Tucson will be the Red Raiders second trip to Arizona to face the two schools in three years. In 2011, Tech shutout Arizona State 5-0 and ended in a 0-0 draw against Arizona – both in Tucson. The road swing will continue in Albuquerque with the Jack in the Box Classic with matches against Cal-Santa Barbra (Sept. 20) and Cal-Davis (Sept. 22). Tech will then open Big 12 play with matches at Iowa State (Sept. 27) and at Oklahoma State (Sept. 29). The Red Raiders defeated both Iowa State and Oklahoma State at home in 2012. Tech’s Big 12 home opener will feature a Friday night showdown against TCU at the John Walker Soccer Complex on Oct. 4 with a 7 p.m. scheduled first kick. It will mark TCU’s first trip to Lubbock for a soccer match. The Red Raiders will then host Arkansas Pine Bluff for a Sunday non-conference at 12 p.m. on Oct. 6.
27
2013 PREVIEW
FORWARDS Sophomore Janine Beckie and senior Jessica Fuston will anchor the Texas Tech frontline in 2013. Beckie returns as the team’s leading scoring netting 14 goals in 2012 – the most by a Red Raider freshman since 1996 and third-most nationally among all freshmen. Her 14 goals tied for the most in the Big 12. Meanwhile, Fuston enters her senior campaign No. 4 all-time at Texas Tech in scoring with 24 career goals. She netted five during the 2012 campaign, which included a hat trick against Montana on Aug. 26. Beckie, Fuston along with breakout midfielder Paige Strahan helped Texas Tech to rank No. 2 in the Big 12 in scoring. The dynamic scoring duo of Beckie and Strahan combined for 22 goals and eight assists last year earning the title as the top-scoring combo in the Big 12 Conference.