RUSTON, La. – Louisiana Tech soccer heads back on the road for the first of a two-game Conference USA road swing beginning with UTEP Sunday, Sep. 18 at 2 p.m. in El Paso at University Field.
MATCH INFORMATION
Date/Time: Sunday, Sep. 18 | 2 p.m.
Location: University Field (El Paso, Texas)
Live Stats:
LATechSports.com/Stats
Live Stream:
CUSA.TV
Series: LA Tech leads 4-2-1 | 0-2-0 in El Paso
ABOUT LA TECH (3-5-1)
Louisiana Tech opened conference play at home Thursday with a win over Western Kentucky 1-0, thanks to a stingy defensive effort and
Alma Cedefors' goal in the 71' minute.
LA Tech allowed only five shots in the match, a season-low, and only two shots on goal to record their third shutout this season. Goalkeeper
Sydnee Korchak now has 35 saves on the year, and a .761 save percentage in eight starts.
Cedefors scored her second goal of the season with both coming off the bench, at home, and proving to be game winners. Her first goal was the difference in a 1-0 win over Abilene Christian.
Tech got a shot in the arm with the return of senior captain
Josie Studer who saw her first action of the season, coming back from an injury sustained in exhibition play. Studer, the team's active leader in games started (46) and minutes played (4,135), played the full 90 minutes in her first start of 2022.
Sophie Fijneman continues to lead the team in minutes played, starting all nine matches and going the full 90 in seven, playing all but 34 minutes this season.
Tech has seen 19 players in a starting role this season, with only five starting all nine matches.
LA Tech, who improved to 3-1-1 at home this season, will be looking for their first road win of the 2022 campaign.
ABOUT UTEP (3-4-2)
UTEP welcomes LA Tech to El Paso after beginning their Conference USA slate with a 0-0 draw against FIU on Thursday.
Sunday will be the fourth straight game at University Field for the Miners, who have not a dropped match in their last four with two wins (Wyoming, UIW) and two scoreless draws (Nevada, FIU) after starting the season just 1-4-0.
The last goal surrendered by the Miners' defense was on Sep. 4 in the 3-1 over Wyoming as they have earned three straight clean sheets, with four on the year.
Redshirt senior Mariah Scott has started all nine matches in goal for UTEP during 2022 and has tallied 45 saves with a .720 save percentage while surrendering just 0.78 goals per contest.
Scott earned C-USA Goalkeeper of the Week on Sep. 13 for her shutout efforts alongside teammate Justice Tillotson who was named Defensive Player of the Week. Tillotson was credited with an assist in the 2-0 win over UIW.
Scott will be the second C-USA Goalkeeper of the Week in as many games for Tech to face having just seen WKU's, Alexis Bach.
UTEP has scored seven goals this season compared to their opponent's 13, three of which have come from junior forward Tessa Carlin. Carlin found the back of the net twice against Wyoming and once in the following match against UIW. She leads the team with seven points (3 goals, 1 assist), in shots (11), and shots on goal (5).
THE SERIES
Sunday's matchup will be the eighth all-time meeting between LA Tech and UTEP on the pitch, with the series leaning heavily in favor of the host team. Tech leads the series 4-2-1.
LA Tech is a perfect 4-0-0 in Ruston but has fallen in both matchups in El Paso. The two teams have one neutral site matchup between them back in 2014 in Charlotte in the Conference USA tournament. Tech took the postseason matchup on penalty kicks (3-2) which ended 1-1 after 90 minutes of regulation, and two overtime periods.
Tech leads the all-time goal count (10-6) and shutout UTEP three times in the first four matchups, but five of UTEP's six goals have come in the last three meetings, with the Miners winning two of the last three.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For live in-match updates, follow LA Tech Soccer on Twitter (@LATechSOC), Instagram (@LATechSoccer), and Facebook (LATechSoccer).
