Oct. 25, 2012
FORT WORTH - The TCU women's soccer team will wrap up its regular season schedule at Baylor Friday night. TCU will be looking to wrap up its berth in the Big 12 Conference Tournament slated to begin next Wednesday. Match time in Waco is set for 7 p.m.
TCU NOTABLES
The Horned Frogs claimed their first-ever Big 12 victory on Sunday afternoon when they defeated Texas 1-0 in front of the fourth-largest crowd in stadium history. The Frogs are unbeaten in three of their last four matches (1-1-2).
Kelly Johnson tallied her third goal of the season and her second game-winning goal. Monica Alvarado scored her team-leading sixth goal of the season in the final 90 seconds of regulation against Texas Tech on Friday.
Vittoria Arnold earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week accolades after allowing one goal on 19 shots on goal this past weekend. She recorded her sixth shutout of the season on Sunday. All six of TCU's wins this season have come via the shutout. Arnold is tied for third in the league with six shutouts. Vittoria Arnold's 12 saves against Texas Tech were the most by a goalkeeper in the Big 12 this season.
The Horned Frogs averaged a league-leading 1,413 fans per match in 10 home games this season. It's the third-highest season average in school history. Serena Smith-Banas continues to step up her game as she assisted on the lone goal against Texas Tech. She now has a goal and an assist in eight matches played. Ashley Jones picked up her first assist of the season on Kelly Johnson's game-winner against Texas. It was her first point since Aug. 29, 2010 against Sam Houston State.
BAYLOR NOTABLES
Baylor sits in second place in the league with a 4-0-3 record. It is fresh off a pair of victories over Texas and Iowa State this past weekend. Baylor is ranked 15th in two of the major polls. The Bears are undefeated in their last 14 games (10-0-4) and have suffered just one defeat on the season. It was a 2-1 overtime loss to nationally-ranked Long Beach State on Aug. 26.
Baylor has gone to overtime in four of its last five matches, recording wins against Texas Tech (3-2) and Texas (2-1). In total, Baylor has played in seven double overtime matches this season. It is 3-0-4 in those seven matches. Baylor owns a perfect 8-0-0 record on its home field this season.
Senior Dana Larsen was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week after picking up a goal and an assist in the 2-1 double overtime victory over Texas on Friday night. Larsen paces the team with 23 points (nine goals, five assists). Michelle Kloss has allowed just nine goals on the season and has a 0.49 goals against average. The mark along with the 11 shutouts by the Bears on the season leads the Big 12. Baylor has allowed just two first half goals, six second half goals and one goal in overtime.
STEPPING UP HER GAME
After seeing action in just one of the first 10 matches this season, Serena Smith-Banas has worked her way into the lineup and taken a firm hold on her spot.
She came off the bench and scored a big goal to force overtime against Kansas. Since then she has played all but 45 minutes of action and has started each of the last four matches.
In Friday's tie against Texas Tech, she assisted on Monica Alvarado's game-tying goal in the 89th minute.
TOPPING THE LEAGUE
TCU averaged 1,413 fans per match this season, a mark that leads the Big 12. It is the only program to average over 1,000 fans per match. The final home weekend saw the Frogs draw crowds of 2,200 on Friday night and 2,300 on Sunday.
With over 2,000 fans in the home opener, TCU had three crowds of 2,000 or more fans in one season for the first time in program history.
This season marks the seventh straight year that TCU soccer has averaged over 1,000 fans per match.
A BLANKING
All six of TCU's victories have come via the shutout. It marks the second straight season the Horned Frogs have notched at least five shutouts in a season. TCU hasn't had six shutouts in a season since tallying seven in 2008. The school record for shutouts in a season is eight set during the 1988 season.
REGULAR SEASON ENDERS
TCU will wrap up its 27th regular season on Friday night in Waco. The Horned Frogs are 8-14-4 overall in regular season finales. In season-enders away from home, the Frogs are 2-8-2, while they own a 2-7-1 record on an opponents' field.
SERIES HISTORY - BAYLOR
Baylor and TCU will be meeting on the soccer pitch as conference foes for the first time ever. It'll mark the 10th all-time meeting in a series that dates back to 1986. Baylor owns a 6-2-1 lead in the series. The Bears have won each of the last six matches.
The last meeting between the programs came in 2004 when the Bears won 5-2 in Waco. TCU is 1-3-0 all-time Waco. The lone win on the road was 3-1 decision in 1986.
