Tech Soccer Making History With First NCAA Bid
By: Britton Drown
Updated: November 5, 2012
The Texas Tech soccer team's historic
2012 season was rewarded Monday afternoon as the program officially received its first-ever bid to the NCAA Championships.
The
Red Raiders (15-5-1) will host North Texas Saturday in a first round
match at the John Walker Soccer Complex with first kick set for 7 p.m.
"It's just incredible," head coach Tom
Stone said Monday. "It's such a great moment for this program and is
a reflection of the commitment this university has made to women's
soccer. We are thrilled to be able to host the first round and bring the
NCAA Championships to Lubbock and our incredible
fan base."
The
winner of Saturday's match will advance to the regional round the
64-team field of the NCAA Championships and face the winner between No. 1
seed Florida
State and Mississippi Valley.
The
announcement came inside a jubilant meeting room at the John Walker
Soccer Complex as the team gathered for an official watching party
alongside the staff
members and university officials.
The
Red Raiders are coming off the program's first-ever postseason victory
at the Big 12 Championships as Tech defeated Kansas 2-0 on Oct. 31 to
advance to
the semifinals of the tournament. Meanwhile, they enter Saturday's match
with an 8-1 record in games played at the John Walker Soccer Complex
where the Red Raiders are outscoring opponents 21-6.
Texas
Tech enters the NCAA Championships in the midst of the best season in
program history after previously breaking the school record for wins in
front
of a nationally televised audience on FOX Soccer Channel with a 2-0
shutout of Oklahoma State on Oct. 26.
The
Red Raiders ended the regular season by placing a school record four
players on the All-Big 12 First Team including Big 12 Rookie of the Year
winner Janine
Beckie. Tech has won seven of its last 10 matches.
The series record between the two schools
is tied 4-4, with the Red Raiders taking the most recent meeting in a 1-0 victory at the John Walker Soccer Complex in 2010.
