FORT WORTH – The No. 13-ranked West Virginia University women’s soccer team opens defense of its back-to-back Big 12 Conference regular-season titles in Texas this weekend.
The Mountaineers (7-2-1) kick off their conference season at TCU on Friday, Sept. 26, at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium in Fort Worth. The squad then travels to Austin for a meeting with the Longhorns (5-3-2) on Sunday, Sept. 28, at Mike A. Myers Stadium & Soccer Field. The match at Texas will be carried by the Longhorn Network.
“Every team is going to present different problems,” explained Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown. “Going into the Big 12 portion of our season, we have a lot of experiences and a lot of lessons learned. We’re going to build on those lessons and get this team better.”
WVU is 14-1-1 all-time in Big 12 regular-season matches and 2-0 in Big 12 openers. The team has won three straight conference regular-season titles, dating back to the 2011 Big East American Division title. WVU also is the defending Big 12 Soccer Tournament champions.
The Mountaineers ride a seven-match unbeaten streak into this weekend’s matches. The squad has scored four goals in three straight matches, a feat last accomplished in 2006. Conversely, the team has posted four shutouts and limited opponents to a combined 10 goals and 60 shots this season.
“I like where we’re at going into conference play,” Izzo-Brown continued. “I’m never satisfied; I don’t know if any coach is. I think we’re in a good place right now.”
WVU owns a 2-1 all-time record over the Horned Frogs and earned a 3-2 overtime victory last season in Morgantown.
The Horned Frogs earned their sixth straight win with a 1-0 victory at North Texas on Sept. 21. Freshman forward Kela Gray netted the game-winner in the 61st minute, and junior Vittoria Arnold made four saves for her fifth straight shutout. Arnold ranks No. 3 in the Big 12 in goals-against average (0.665) and save percentage (0.850).
WVU is 2-1 all-time against UT and has earned wins in the last two meetings, including a 2-1 victory in Morgantown last year.
The Longhorns are coming off a 2-0 victory at Texas State on Sept. 21. The win followed three straight losses, including a 1-0 defeat to No. 1 UCLA on Sept. 19. Forward Jasmine Hart and midfielder Sharis Lachappelle tallied the goals in UT’s win, while goalkeeper Abby Smith tied her career high with eight saves. Smith ranks second in the conference in saves (44) and fourth in save percentage (.830).
UT plays host to No. 6 Texas Tech (9-0) Friday evening.
The Mountaineers return to the road after posting a 6-1-1 mark in an eight-match homestand at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium. Most recently, WVU earned dominating wins over La Salle and Villanova, defeating the Explorers, a 2013 NCAA Tournament qualifier, 4-1 on Sept. 19, and the Wildcats 4-0 on Sept. 21.
Junior midfielder Leah Emaus and freshman forward Michaela Abam, the reigning Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, each posted two-goal games last weekend. Emaus, the team’s point leader with eight (4 G, 0 A), posted her scores against the Explorers, while Abam tallied hers against the Wildcats, including the game-winner in the 15th minute. The score was the Houston native’s team-best second game-winner of the year.
