The UTEP soccer team (2-7, 0-2 C-USA) will lock up with UTSA (5-3-1, 0-1 C-USA) at University Field at 7 p.m. Friday, September 24.
It is the lone match of the week for the Miners, who are coming off of losses to No. 20 Rice and at (RV) North Texas. UNT hasn’t lost a home conference match since 2008.
There will be both a live stream and live stats for the match against the Roadrunners.
MINER PRE-MATCH RUNDOWN:
Shutting Down Corners
UTEP kept No. 20 Rice and (RV) North Texas to two corner kicks apiece. The first seven foes averaged 5.8 corners per game, with each of them earning at least three.
Get To The Corner
UTEP earned a season-high tying five corner kicks at (RV) North Texas on Sept. 19. The Miners also secured five corner kicks against Abilene Christian on Aug. 22.
Sharing Is Caring
UTEP has piled up 13 assists on its eight goals on the year, including a season-high four helpers in the 2-1 overtime victory against NM State on Sept. 9. It is indicative of the possession-based style of play that the Miners have deployed on the campaign, with goals coming from a quality string of passes.
Palmen Piling Up The Saves
True freshman Luisa Palmen recorded her second-highest save total (six) on the year in the setback at (RV) North Texas on Sept. 19. She now has delivered at least five saves in three different contests, and enters Friday’s game against UTSA with a team-leading 27 stops.
Getting Offensive
Senior Jackie Soto (three goals) and junior Jojo Ngongo (two goals) both have multiple tallies on the season. Vic Bohdan, Sheyliene Patolo and Molly Sutherland have also scored a goal on the year. Bohdan, Fisher and Molly Sutherland share the team lead with two assists, while seven others have one helper. Bohdan paces the Orange and Blue for both shots (14) and shots on goal (six).
Going Deep
Twenty six different Miners have earned playing time this season, with 15 of them appearing in all nine matches. There have also been 17 Miners to secure at least one start, with nine starting at least seven contests.
The 411 On UTSA
UTSA enters Friday’s match at 5-3-1 on the year, including 0-1 in C-USA play after dropping its league opener to Old Dominion on Sept. 16. The Roadrunners fell in their season lid lifter, 2-0, at No. 16 Oklahoma State before a 5-1-1 stretch to wrap nonconference action at 5-2-1. The 2-0 loss to ODU marked the second time UTSA had been blanked on the year. Ellis Patterson paces the attack with three goals, followed by two each from Kendall Kloza and Anna Sutter. Jill Schneider has started all nine matches in net, conceding only 10 goals while recording 28 saves. UTSA has a +2 (12-10 goal differential).
The Series
UTEP is 7-1-2 all time against UTSA, but the Roadrunners did secure a 2-1 victory last year for their first win in the series.
Living On The Road
For the second straight season, UTEP will have more road games than home match-ups. Overall this year the Miners will play 10 contests outside of El Paso (nine road, one neutral) compared to six home tilts, marking the second straight year that UTEP will have more road games than home match-ups during the regular season.
Quick Rundown On UTEP
UTEP returned 23 letter winners from last year’s team (3-6-2, 2-3-1 C-USA), including nine starters. The Miners also added six newcomers. The Orange and Blue are under the direction of third-year head coach Kathryn Balogun, who sports a mark of 15-20-5 in the Sun City, including 2-7 this year.
Tickets for the contest are $8 and can be purchased through the Eisenberg Family Ticket Office by calling (915) 747-UTEP, emailing [email protected], going online or in person at 201 Glory Road (Brumbelow Building, UTEP campus) Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Group tickets are also available for $5 (minimum of 10 tickets).
Help support UTEP student-athletes by making a gift to the Miner Athletic Club. Visit givingto.utep.edu/mac today!
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