No. 4 Tech/UT Meet in Big 12 Semifinals for Epic Rematch Wednesday

AUSTIN – Maybe for the final time as conference foes, the No. 4 ranked Texas Tech women’s soccer team and the University of Texas will meet on Wednesday for a spot in the Big 12 Conference Championship title game on Wednesday afternoon.

Moved to Mike Myers Stadium and Soccer Field due to poor field conditions in Round Rock, Texas Tech will look to make its first trip to the Big 12 finals since 2015 when they defeated No. 1 WVU and KU to win the program’s first Big 12 title.

Riding the highest ranking in school history (No. 4), Tech continues its quest to back up the first regular season Big 12 title in program history and will to defeat Texas twice in the same season for the first time in program history.

Tech and UT are meeting in the Big 12 Conference Championship for just the third time, and for the first time since the 2014 season when UT downed the Red Raiders on PKs. Tech and UT also met in 2011, a 1-0 Longhorns victory in regulation.

The Red Raiders and Longhorns already clashed once this season in Austin, a dramatic 2-1 Texas Tech victory over then No. 14 Texas. The difference in that match was a late Hannah Anderson goal with just two seconds remaining.

First kick from Austin is set for 4:30 p.m. with the match being streamed live on ESPN+/Big 12 Now.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
MATCHUP: No. 4 Texas Tech (15-0-4) vs. RV Texas (13-4-2)
DATE: Wednesday, November 1
TIME: 4:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Mike Myers Stadium and Soccer Field

LAST TIME OUT
A rocket of a left-footed shot by senior Giselle Kozarski with 62 seconds left, a first half header from Hannah Anderson and two assists from freshman Sam Courtwright pushed the No. 5 ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders to a dramatic 2-1 victory Monday afternoon over Cincinnati in the Big 12 Tournament Quarterfinals.

In the same stadium and goal as Anderson’s dramatic winner over then No. 14 Texas, it was a different hero that made her presence felt as Kozarski delivered the Red Raiders (15-0-4) 15th victory of the season.

Not to be lost in the victory was another strong performance by fellow senior Madison White who recorded three saves, no bigger than a sprawling 83rd minute save on a point blank save off a ripped shot by Fran Stables.

The Red Raiders got off to a good start in their first match of the 2023 Big 12 Championship using a 13th minute header from Anderson off a Courtwright free kick to take a 1-0 lead. The free kick came from about 35 yards and found the wide-open Anderson in the six.

Anderson high pointed the ball and redirected a header for her fifth goal of the season.

The strike allowed Tech to take a 1-0 lead into the halftime break.

After a slow start to the second half by both sides, Cincinnati (4-8-7) found the equalizer when Ellie Flower picked off a pass and slipped a ball to Lauren Zemberyova who hit a shot that White initially saved before it fell into the net.

With the game tied at one, Tech continued to search for the go-ahead goal, but nothing materialized until midway through the 88th minute, when Skurcenski trapped and delivered a perfect pass to Courtwright who fed a streaking Kozarski.

The forward raced down the left side took two dribbles and ripped a left-footed shot past UCs Anna Rexford with 1:02 left on the clock.

QUICK KICKS:
• Fresh off a dramatic 2-1 win over Cincy, the No. 4 ranked Texas Tech women’s soccer program returns to the Mike Myers Stadium and Soccer Field for Wednesday match against RV Texas. The Myers is home to two of the most dramatic wins in program history as Tech has won both matches with late goals. After Hannah Anderson and Macy Blackburn combined on a goal with :02 on the clock, freshman Sam Courtwright and Gisselle Kozarski advanced the Red Raiders into the semifinals of the Big 12 Championship with a strike with just 62 seconds left on Monday.

• The Red Raiders and Longhorns are meeting for just the third time in the Big 12 Championship and for the first time since the 2014 season. Tech is 0-1-1 all-time against UT in the Big 12 Championship, with the Longhorns coming out on top 1-0 in 2011 and 6-5 on PKs in 2014. That 2014 matchup went into PKs after the two teams battled to a 1-1 scoreline in regulation and OT.

• Monday’s 2-1 regulation win over Cincinnati was Tech’s first regulation Big 12 victory since a 1-0 win over Baylor back in 2019. Tech had lost its previous three regulation matches in the Big 12 Tournament.

• The Red Raiders continue to climb in the polls and for the sixth straight week have moved up in the top-25 polls. After sneaking into the top-25 for the first time ahead of the matchup in Austin on Sept. 21, Tech climbed to No. 4 in the United Soccer Coaches Association poll. Tech’s No. 4 ranking is the highest in program history breaking last week’s No. 5 ranking. Tech’s previous highest-ranking was sixth in 2014.

• Hannah Anderson continues to shine in her final season wearing the Scarlett and Black. Anderson scored her career-best fifth goal on Monday when she buried the free kick service from Sam Courtwright.

SCOUTING THE LONGHORNS:
• UT enters Wednesday’s battle having won three straight matches overall. The Longhorns went 6-3-1 overall in Big 12 play to run their overall record to 13-4-2. Texas has been dominant in its last three victories downing Houston on the road 6-1, before using four and three goals to defeat TCU (4-2) and WVU (3-1). That victory over WVU came on Monday in the Big 12 Quarterfinals which were also played in Austin.

• In that game, Texas was led Lexi Missimo and Trinity Byers. Missimo scored the Longhorns first goal off an assist from Byars before Missimo played/assisted on Byars goal that put UT up 2-0. The third goal was a PK scored by Missimo. The two goals were her 21st and 22nd goals of the season, while the assist was number 19 on the season bring her point total to 63 for the year. Byars sored her 16th goal and recorded her 12th assist. The duo have scored 38 of UTs 62 goals this season.

• In net, Florida State transfer Mia Justus has played and started all 19 matches recording 70 saves (.787 sv pct) and a GAA of 1.04. Justus allowed a goal to Tech back on Sept. 21 but left that match due to injury in the 29th minute.

UP NEXT:
If victorious on Wednesday afternoon the Red Raiders would advance to the 2023 Big 12 Championship title game on Saturday night where the winner of BYU and UCF would await. First kick from Round Rock, is schedule for 7 p.m.

–TECH–

Release provided by Andrew Stern Texas Tech Athletics