Sept. 27, 2007
With a perfect home record still in tact, the Baylor women's soccer team will open Big 12 Conference play on Friday as they host the Kansas Jayhawks at Betty Lou Mays Field beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Friday's match is the first of two conference games the Bears will play this weekend. After hosting Kansas (1-7-1) in the Big 12 opener, Baylor will then welcome Missouri (6-2-0) to the banks of the Brazos River.
"We like what we've been able to accomplish with our non-conference schedule, but now we're focused on putting ourselves in a position to return to the conference tournament in November," head coach George Van Linder said. "The girls got a taste of the tournament last season and know what it takes to get there. Conference games are always tough in this league and we just have to stay focused and play within our system."
Against Kansas, Baylor boasts a 5-5-1 all-time record which dates back to the first meeting between the two teams on Sept. 26, 1996. After winning the first four meetings, the two teams split the next three before Kansas started its current winning streak against the Bears. After a 2-1 win on Oct. 4, 2002, the Bears have dropped the last four meetings against Kansas and have been shut out in each contest.
Ginny Rosario-Tull was the last Baylor player to score against Kansas, putting the game-winner in the back of the net during the 54th minute of the Oct. 4, 2002, contest. Since then, the Bears have played 413-plus minutes without a goal against Kansas.
However, with the exception of a 3-0 loss on Oct. 3, 2004, the Bears have dropped three close contests. Three loses have come by way of a 1-0 score, which includes a double-overtime match on Sept. 26, 2003.
This season the Bears enter the game against Kansas with a 6-2-1 record, and are a perfect 4-0 at Betty Lou Mays Field where they have out-scored their opponents 12-1.
Senior Megan Scherrell is leading the way for Baylor with 17 points this season. She has scored five goals and aided on another seven. Sherrell has scored the most points by an individual since Tiffany Boshers scored 19 points in 2004.
At home this season, the Bears have collected 34 points while allowing opponents just two. Senior goalkeeper Ashley Noah has allowed just one goal in 329-plus minutes of work at home. Noah currently has a 0.27 goals-against average while visitors have posted a combined 2.91 goals against average.
Baylor will conclude its weekend with a match against No. 16 Missouri. The Tigers, ranked in all four national polls, hold a one game lead over the Bears with a 7-6 record all-time. Last season, the Bears ended a five-game winning streak for Missouri, earning Baylor's first win against the Tigers since Nov. 1, 2000.
Friday's game will begin at 7:00 p.m. while Sunday's contest is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. Both games will air live on the All-Access portion of BaylorBears.com and can be heard free with Heath Nielsen and Justin Stottlemyre. Broadcasts will begin 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.
