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University of Houston Athletics
Soccer Hosts Texas State in 2015 Opener
8/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
HOUSTON â€" The Houston Cougar Women's Soccer program kicks off the 2015 season against in-state rival Texas State on Friday, Aug. 21 at 7 p.m., at the Carl Lewis International Complex. The match will mark the first regular season event for the University of Houston in 2015.
Head Coach Chris Pfau enters his fourth season at the helm of the Cougars and embarks on the season with a squad that returns 16 letterwinners from 2014, including 10 that saw starting time in a majority of the team's games last season.
Senior goalkeeper Jordan Brown returns for Houston after missing the final game of the 2014 regular season due to injury. Brown's absence in The American Championship match ended a streak of 4,949 consecutive minutes played (51+ games), after not missing a minute in two years at Tennessee Tech and her first season at Houston. Brown stopped 83 shots last season and compiled top-10 single season goalkeeper marks in saves, saves per game (5.19), ties (5, program record), goalie games started and played (16) and goalie minutes played (1,534).
Houston's leading point scorer from a year ago, Lexa Green, also returns for her senior season. The Las Vegas, Nev., native tallied nine points a year ago after putting home four goals on 11 shots-on-goal (.440), while adding an assist.
The Cougars return a bevy of experience on the back line from a year ago, including senior defender Sydnie Green who was named CollegeSportsMadness.com Second Team All-American Athletic Conference in 2014. Green started 15 games last season, tallying an assist in 1,323 minutes, and played a key role in all three of Houston's shutouts.
Pfau added nine newcomers with the Cougars' 2015 recruiting class, including six freshmen and three Division I transfers. Roalba Barbosa (Cal State Northridge), Sydney Vincent (Garnder-Webb University) and Claire Salazar (Oklahoma) all join the team as sophomore transfers while Desiree Bowen, Lauren Flowers, Sydney Daubendiek, Hayley Hubbard, Kat Fylling and Sevie Cole make up Houston's freshman class.
Friday marks the ninth meeting in program history for the two schools, with the Cougars holding a 7-1-0 all-time record against the Bobcats. The teams last met on Sept. 11, 2009 in a 2-1 overtime victory for the Cougars. Jessica Zavalza scored a sudden-death goal in the 100th minute to break the tie and give Houston the victory.
ABOUT THE BOBCATS
Head Coach Kat Conner enters her 17th year with the program and has compiled a 167-138-23 overall record since beginning the program in 1992. The Bobcats return 18 players, including seven starters from the 2014 squad which posted an 11-7-2 overall record and finished tied for third in the Sun Belt Conference.
Texas State returns senior goalkeeper Caitlynn Rinehard, who played all but nine minutes a year ago. Rinehard stopped 61 shots in 2014 and ended the season with a 0.84 goals against average. The Bobcats also return their two top forwards from last season in senior Lynsey Curry and sophomore Rachel Grout. Curry, a First-Team All-Sun Belt selection, scored seven goals and added three assists, while Grout led Texas State freshmen in points with 10 (four goals and two assists).
Texas State assistant coach Lauren Frazier returns to Houston, where she was a goalkeeper on the 2009 and 2010 Cougar teams. Frazier transferred to Texas State after her sophomore season to finish her career, but was in goal for Houston the last time they defeated the Bobcats in 2009.
FOLLOW ALONG LIVE
Live stats will be made available for every home courtesy of Gametracker. Stats can be found by visiting UHCougars.com and following the appropriate links to find the Houston Soccer Schedule and the "Gametracker" link, or by clicking .
Live video of the match is also available courtesy of UHCougars.com and can be found by clicking the "Watch" link on the Houston Soccer Schedule or by clicking here. A paid premium subscription is required for streaming video.
UP NEXT FOR HOUSTON
The Cougars take a break from regular season action to host the 2015 Houston Red & White Intrasquad Scrimmage on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. Houston will split its squad into two teams and play one 45-minute half before inviting all children ages eighth grade and younger onto the field to participate with team.
Admission to the event is free.
Houston returns to regular season action with its first road trip of the season when it heads to the state of Utah for the first road trip of the season. The Cougars visit Salt Lake City, to take on the University of Utah on Friday, Aug 28 at 5:30 p.m., before heading to Logan, Utah to meet Utah State on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 1 p.m.
2015 SHASTA PASS
The Houston Fan Experience Headquarters is proud to offer the Shasta Pass for the 2015-16 athletic season. For just $50, Cougar fans can purchase one Shasta Pass, which allows season-long general admission entrance to all Houston Soccer, Women's Basketball, Volleyball and Softball home games.
The Shasta Pass offers Houston fans a substantial savings as single-game tickets start at $8 for all four sports. Fans can save $126 alone during the Houston Volleyball and Soccer seasons. To purchase a Shasta Pass, CLICK HERE.
SINGLE GAME TICKETS
Single game tickets are on sale starting at just $8 for general admission. Faculty/Staff and H-Association member's admission is discounted to $6, while youth tickets (Ages 3-High School) are $5.
Friday also marks the day that many University of Houston students will make the trek back to campus and begin moving into on campus housing.
As a result, Friday's game is Houston's "Move In Day" game. Any parent accompanying a University of Houston student to the game will receive half-price admission ($4) into the match.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow Houston Soccer on Twitter @UHCougarSoccer and "Like" /HoustonCougarSoccer on Facebook.
