After yesterday’s loss to BYU, the Longhorns will meet Utah on the soccer field Saturday for the first time in the history of both programs.
Saturday’s game will be Texas’ third away game this season and will follow right on the heels of yesterday’s 5-0 loss against BYU on the road.
This season, the Longhorns have performed well during the first half, only allowing a total of 26 shots in the initial 45 minutes of each of their eight games. Last Thursday night was no exception as Texas kept the game tied 0-0 through the first 45 minutes of action but allowed all five goals to be scored in the second half.
Yesterday’s loss was by far the largest margin this season and leaves the Longhorns 3-5-0 for the season. In the eight games that have taken place so far, the team has tallied only eight goals.
The Longhorns went into the BYU game Thursday owning a 3-1-0 advantage in the all-time series. Fans can only hope that the Longhorns’ track record against first-time opponents is a better predictor of success than their record of wins against the Cougars. Historically, the team has performed well against first-time opponents, going 9-4-1 since 2009. In their only other first-time match of the 2012 season, the Longhorns defeated Toledo 3-0 Aug. 26.
Texas currently holds a 21-14-7 record against current members of the Pac-12 Conference. This season, Utah is the only Pac-12 team they are scheduled to play. After tomorrow’s game, there are only two more non-conference matches on the 2012 Texas schedule.
This year, the Longhorns are looking to earn a place in the Big 12 Championship Tournament. If they make it, they will become the only team to play in the tournament every year since its establishment in 1996. Currently, the Longhorns share this honor with Texas A&M, who are now a part of the Southeastern Conference.
The team has earned a bid in the NCAA Tournament in 10 of the past 11 years. The only exception was the 2009 campaign, in which the Longhorns finished 9-9-3. However, with only three victories so far, the Horns have some catching up to do.
