GAME PREVIEW: Women's Soccer vs. University of Texas at Dallas (9/9)
MULTIMEDIA COVERAGE
Video (Weather permitting)
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The University of Dallas women's soccer team (1-2) returns to the pitch in front of its home crowd for the first time this 2015 fall season. The Lady Crusaders will be competing against University of Texas at Dallas (3-0), who make the short trip down from Richardson, Texas, on Wednesday.
A 5:30 p.m. kickoff time will begin a trio of matches that are tabbed in the Dallas Challenge. Dallas remains at the friendly confines, where the team was 6-3 the previous campaign, for the next five games.
The Lady Crusaders opened the first week of the year going 1-2 on the first road trip. After dropping the first pair of matches 5-0 and 1-0, respectively, at University of Texas at Tyler and William Jessup University; UD scooted by Mills College 4-1 on Sunday.
IMPACTING THE STATS
Dallas was able to notch season-highs in shots and goals during the victory with 16 and four, respectively. Pacing the Lady Crusaders with four shot attempts are sophomores Alice Nelson (Jackson, Tenn.) and Mackenzie Vasile (San Antonio, Texas), and freshman Kathryn Zepeda (Lynnwood, Wash.).
Zepeda was among a trio of Dallas players to kick the first career goals of their careers. Mason Cosgrove (Las Cruces, N.M.) and Samantha Deitschel (San Antonio, Texas) also formed the unit of Lady Crusaders to knock their first collegiate goals. Senior Mariah Fairbanks tallied the final scoring play in the victory at Mills.
All four goals in the triumph occurred with just as many assists to be paired with each netter. Garnering the passes were seniors Nicolette Perez (San Diego, Calif.) and Abigale Weisbrod (Mesquite, Texas), sophomore Taylor Ray (Cypress, Texas), and Vasile.
Sophomore Elena Naccari (Covington, La.) has worked 225 minutes in three starts as the goalkeeper for Dallas. She has stopped 30 saves on the year, including a season-most 18 against Texas-Tyler.
SCOUTING THE COMETS
University of Texas-Dallas carries an unbeaten streak through the early juncture of the fall, taking two of three triumphs in overtime. The Comets have also blanked their opponents in two of the meetings, including its most recent season-high scoring game, 3-0, versus Mount Saint Mary on Sunday. UTD is 1-0 in its lone road contest at LeTourneau University for the season-opener.
Last season, Texas-Dallas carried a 13-5-1 record and 6-2-1 mark in the American Southwest Conference (ASC). The comets would be ousted in the ASC Tournament match, in a semifinal versus Hardin-Simmons University.
Six different Comets have found the back of the twine including: Amanda Avalos, Melissa Fulfer, Millie Atkins, Jacqueline Kaufman, Tori Edge, and Megan Mugavero. Mugavero and Kaufman have broken double-digits in shot attempts with 13 and 11, respectively. The duo have each placed eight shots on goal.
Monica Dallacasa has started all three matches as goalkeeper and limited opponents to one goal through 283:10 minutes. She has nabbed eight saves.
HISTORY
The all-time record between these programs is 2-10-1 in favor of Texas-Dallas. It has been over a decade since the teams have faced each other in the regular season, dating back to October 4, 2004 at Irving, Texas. The match went beyond regulation as Dallas fell 1-0 in the 100:21 minute mark.
UP NEXT
Dallas is in the midst of its season-long home stand, and will play two more in the Dallas Challenge this weekend. On September 12, the Lady Crusaders host Lewis & Clark at 5 p.m., and welcome George Fox University on the 13th at 4 p.m.
SOCIAL MEDIA
UD Twitter: @UDallasSports
UD Women's Soccer Twitter: @UDallasWSoccer
Facebook: University of Dallas Athletics
Instagram: udallasathletics