Oct. 22, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The No. 20 Texas A&M soccer team returns home to host Colorado at the Aggie Soccer Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m. before Texas Tech comes to town on Sunday for a 1:30 p.m. match.
The Aggies (10-5-1, 4-2-1 Big 12) split conference games on the road last weekend and are in third place in the Big 12 standings. A&M trails the Buffaloes (8-7-0, 5-2-0 Big 12) by two points and can move into second place with a win against Colorado on Friday.
CU is coming off of a bye week and has not played a match since Oct. 11, when it defeated Kansas, 1-0. The well-rested Buffaloes are led by Nikki Marshall who has scored seven goals and leads the team with 15 points.
Texas A&M is led by junior Emily Peterson was selected as one of 10 finalists for the prestigious Lowe's Senior CLASS Award and is on a ballot for a nationwide vote concluding November 13. Fans can vote for Peterson daily by going to Becca Herrera, Jen Kmezich, Beth West and Bri Young each call Colorado home.
NCAA RPI
Texas A&M is ranked 23rd in the most recent rating percentage index (RPI) that was released Oct. 19 by the NCAA. The Aggies are the highest-ranked program in the Big 12 with Colorado being the next closest ranked 42nd.
SCOUTING COLORADO
Last week CU had a bye week and has not played a match since Oct. 11, when it defeated Kansas, 1-0. Colorado split Big 12 games that weekend, also losing at Missouri. The Buffaloes are just 1-4 on the road this season and are also 1-4 against a ranked opponent. While the team is led by Nikki Marshall (7G, 1A), Kelly Butler and Kassidy Fitzpatrick add four goals each, and goalkeeper Kara Linder posts a 1.15 goals against average and a .767 save percentage. The CU defense is holding its opponents to 1.20 goals per game and a .336 shot on goal percentage (that's compared to the A&M defense holding its opponents to 1.31 goals per game a .455 shot on goal percentage). Head coach Bill Hempen is in his ninth season at the helm of the program and posts a 101-63-23 record.
VERSUS THE BUFFALOES
A&M leads the all-time series against Colorado 16-1-1. The only match CU won was a 3-2, double overtime victory at the Big 12 Tournament in 2006. The Aggies have since taken two straight, including a 2-1 double overtime win in Boulder, Colo., last year. In the 87th minute, Young headed in a free kick from Herrera to send the match into overtime. Then in the 94th minute, West headed a cross from Shipley into the back of the net for the game-winner ... a dog pile ensued!
SCOUTING TEXAS TECH
The Red Raiders (8-7-1, 3-3-1) dropped their only match last weekend, a 2-1 decision against Oklahoma State, and are seventh in the Big 12 standings. Texas Tech is 2-4 on the road and is led by Dawn Ward with 12 goals and 25 points. Taylor Lytle leads the conference and her team with 11 assists and also posts four goals for 19 points. Two other Tech players have netted four goals, while Brittany Harrison (5G, 1A) suffered a torn ACL and is out for the season. Colleen Pitts and Erin Wikelius have both seen significant time in goal and combine for a 1.73 goals against average and a .670 save percentage. Tom Stone is in his third year as head coach and records a 23-25-4 record at Tech.
VERSUS THE RED RAIDERS
Texas A&M is 14-1 all-time against Texas Tech and won the last nine consecutive meetings between the two teams, dating back to 2000. The last two wins have been shutouts, including a 1-0 blank in Lubbock, Texas, in 2008. Young netted the game-winner on a header from a Shipley corner kick in the 33rd minute and the Aggies hung on for the win after Tech fired off 12 second-half shots. Dyer made six saves in the win.