Sept. 17, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -
After three straight road games, the No. 13 Texas A&M soccer team returns home Friday to face its fourth ranked opponent in No. 2 Portland. Kickoff begins at 7 p.m. at the Aggie Soccer Stadium.
In their non-conference slate, the Aggies have taken on three teams ranked in the top 14 and after battling against No. 1 North Carolina last weekend, they will play the top two teams in the nation, both of which are undefeated, in back-to-back games.
A&M is 3-3-0 this season, with each of their losses coming at the hands of teams that are ranked 11th or higher. Sophomore Becca Herrera (3 A) chip in three points each.
Portland (7-0-0), A&M's rival attendance leader, has faced three top 25 teams and enter Friday's match with a flawless record. They have outscored their opponents 22-2 with only Columbia and then-No. 11 Illinois finding the back of the net against the Pilots. Sophie Schmidt leads the Portland attack with six goals and four assists. Danielle Foxhoven has also scored six goals.
The Aggies faced the Pilots twice in program history, both in 2001, and Portland came away with two wins, the last of which was in the NCAA Elite Eight at Portland.
Fans can follow all the action of Friday's match with free live video, audio and live stats on AggieAthletics.com.
Parking is free and is available in the Reed Arena parking lots. For added convenience, there are now two entrances on the north end of the stadium.
PROMOTIONS
Friday
Ring Day - Wear your Aggie Ring and receive free admission to the match!
NCAA Champs Photo Opportunity - The national championship trophies and athletes will be at the game and available to take pictures. There will also be celebrity scanning at the 12th Man Rewards tables.
If the Aggies win they will be present at Yell Practice on Friday night!
Sunday
College Station Youth Soccer Day - There will be a parade of teams on the field prior to the start of the game.
Q. WHO LEADS IN NATIONAL ATTENDANCE FOR WOMEN'S SOCCER?
A. Portland. The Pilots were the 2008 average and total home attendance leaders, BUT A&M followed closely in second place, averaging under 500 less people per game. The two teams have battled in attendance figures over the years. The Aggies boasted the second-largest attendance the last three seasons and led the nation in total attendance in 2004, 2006 and 2007. Help A&M boast the largest attendance figures in 2009 by attending Friday's match!
RECAP
A&M held top-ranked and defending national champion North Carolina scoreless through 82 minutes, until two late goals lifted the Tar Heels to a 2-0 victory at Fetzer Field. UNC improved to 6-0-0, extending a 30-game winning streak. The Aggie defense played a flawless first half holding the Tar Heels to a season-low five shots, with just one on goal, while firing off two. The two teams went into the halftime break locked in a scoreless battle and came out on the attack the second half to even the shots at six apiece. However, UNC outshot the A&M 9-0 in the final 20 minutes and netted two goals in the last eight.
DEFENSE, DEFENSE, DEFENSE
The A&M defense is stifling its opponents' attack, holding teams to an average of 8.3 shots per game. Even when an opponent does shoot, the defense does a good job to keep the strikes off target. No. 1 North Carolina managed to put seven shots on frame, but A&M limited all prior opponents to just three shots on goal.
THE LAST TIME
When was the last time Texas A&M started a season 3-3? In 2002. The Aggies ended up going on a 16-game winning streak mid-season and ended with a 20-5-1 record. The team won the Big 12 Regular Season title before advancing to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
SCOUTING PORTLAND
The Pilots have been on a roll so far this season with seven straight wins and 22 goals, compared to just two from their opponents. They average 3.14 goals per game have not scored less than two goals in any match. Sophie Schmidt (6 G, 4 A,) Danielle Foxhoven (6 G, 2 A) and Michelle Enyeart (5 G, 3 A) each have double-digit points already this season. Both goalkeepers are solid averaging 0.29 goals against and a .929 save percentage. Portland takes on average 17 shots per game. Seventh-year head coach Garrett Smith holds a 123-17-7 career record and guided his team to the NCAA Quarterfinals last season Portland won two national championships in 2002 and 2005.
VERSUS THE PILOTS
Portland leads the all-time series, 2-0, with both wins coming in 2001. In the regular season the Pilots defeated A&M 2-1 and in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament Portland ended the Aggies' season with a 4-1 win.
SCOUTING SAM HOUSTON STATE
The Bearkats improved to 2-4-1 with a 6-0 win over Texas Southern on Wednesday. Their only other win was a 6-0 victory at Prairie View A&M. Sam Houston State has had trouble scoring, being shutout in each of its four losses. The team averages 1.8 goals per game and 13.1 shots. Kirby Sak leads the offense with four goals and four assists, while Shelby Grissett adds three goals. The Bearkat keepers post a 1.38 goals against average and a .836 save percentage.
VERSUS THE BEARKATS
The Aggie and Bearkats have met twice and A&M leads the series, 2-0, with wins in 2004 and 2006. The combined score of the two matches was 19-0. In the 2006 match, Gnatzig scored a goal and added an assist and Cydne Currie netted a goal and tallied two assists. In that contest, 25 of the Aggies 45 shots were on goal.