CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - After an extended break from play, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi looks to get back to work with a home opener against UTSA. Due to inclement weather caused by Hurricane Harvey, the Islanders were forced to cancel their originally slated home contest with North Texas, moving the Roadrunners into Corpus Christi's first slot of matches to be played at Dugan Stadium in 2017.
Both sides are coming off losses, with the Islanders previous match played two weeks ago at UTRGV. The visiting Blue and Green came up just short in a double-overtime nail-biter that went 102 minutes before the opening goal of the evening. UTSA meanwhile, is on a four-match skid heading into Friday, having been shutout in three contests over that stretch.
The Islanders and Roadrunners are even in the pair's all-time series, sitting on a record of 1-1-1. Corpus Christi's first win in program history came against UTSA in San Antonio, in the Islanders' inaugural 2013 season.
With a victory over UTSA in this Friday's 7:30 p.m. contest, the Islanders will be off to their best four-match start in program history at 2-2, while a draw would tie the school's best start, set in 2014.
PROMOTIONS
>> Free pregame tailgate for students; starting at 6:30 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
- The Islanders are even with the Roadrunners in the two's all-time series at 1-1-1. The pair worked to a scoreless tie the last time playing each other at Dugan in 2014
- The Blue and Green's first win in program history came against UTSA in the team's inaugural 2013 season. The contest ended 2-1 thanks to a pair of goals from program all-time leading scorer Yvette Franco (19)
- Corpus Christi is 1-3-1 against Conference USA teams all time, while UTSA is 44-23-7 against Southland Conference foes, not including the Islanders
- Islander midfielder Chayse Bauer scored the first goal of her career against the Roadrunners the previous season, off of assists from Kaitlyn Joy and Shayla Spearman
- UTSA is 0-2 on the road this season and is 1-10 in its last 11 matches playing visitor
- Of the 38 players that participated in last season's match between Corpus Christi and UTSA, only 14 have registered starts during this season. (TAMU-CC;4/UTSA;10)
THE ISLANDERS
- The Blue and Green participated in its eighth double-overtime match in program history last week, after going into extras against UTRGV
- Corpus Christi's 1-0 loss to the Vaqueros is just the second time the program has dropped a decision in extra time
- Shaw started seven freshman against UTRGV last week, with just two starters having logged time for Corpus Christi in 2016.
- With 14 saves on the season (4.67/gm) and six goals against (2.00/gm), starting goalkeeper Abbie Flax ranks fifth in the Southland Conference concerning save percentage (.700)
- Five of Corpus Christi's 17 shots have come off of free kick or corner kick opportunities. The Roadrunners average 7.4 fouls and 5.2 corners surrendered per match.
- Katie Lawrence's and Mariah Ramon's tallies against Texas State two weeks ago both tie for the fastest an Islander freshman has scored since coming to the Island
- With its 2-1 victory against Texas State, Corpus Christi is now 3-1-1 when scoring two goals over the past two seasons
- The Islanders' shooting percentage outpaces the Roadrunners 11.8% to 6.8%, having scored just a single goal less than UTSA despite having played two fewer matches.
- The Islanders are 3-3 against teams from Texas dating back through October 2016, and 4-4 through their last eight matches played in the lone star state
- The Islanders' Alexis Urch will see some familiar faces, after attending Round Rock High School with UTSA defenders Caily Elder and Chandler Jackson. The three defenders helped lead the Dragons to regional semi finals in their lone year of playing together (2013)
SCOUTING UTSA
- All three of the Roadrunners' goals have come in the opening half, with opponents outscoring UTSA by a count of 15-3 overall
- Both UTSA and the Islanders have lost to Baylor this year with the Roadrunners falling to the Bears 1-0 last week. The side was outshot 23-1, in comparison to the 19-1 advantage Baylor had over the Blue and Green in this year's preseason matchup
- Forwards Ellis Patterson (2) and Channing Machen (1) have accounted for all three of UTSA's tallies this season, and a third of the team's shots on goal (6/18)
- Junior goalkeeper Michelle Cole has started all five matches for the Roadrunners, averaging 3.71 goals against
- UTSA is currently on a four-match skid after getting shutout in two consecutive competitions. Over the current stretch the Roadrunners have been outscored 14-1, with Big 12 opponents TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma State pitching shutouts
- Both sides should boast a young lineup this Friday, with UTSA starting nine freshmen and sophomores against Oklahoma State last week
- Ten of the players on the Roadrunners' roster are true freshmen. In addition to Texas State transfer Sarah Gavin, UTSA brings in a signing class of 11, with eight of those players seeing time thus far in 2017
Fans of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi soccer can follow along with live stats provided by SIDEARM Sports, or watch the entire event live on the Islanders Digital Network.
STAY SOCIAL
For more information on Islanders women's soccer, follow the team on Twitter (@IslandersSoccer), Instagram (@IslandersSoccer) and like their Facebook page (Islanders Soccer).
- Go Islanders -
