SOC Continues Conference Play With No. 6 BYU, No. 25 Texas Tech

BAYLOR vs. No. 6 BYU
Thursday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. CT
Betty Lou Mays Field
Video: Big 12 Now ESPN+

BAYLOR vs No. 25 TEXAS TECH
Sunday, Sept. 24 at 1 p.m. CT
Betty Lou Mays Field
Video: Big 12 Now ESPN+

BAYLOR (5-3-1)
Head Coach: Michelle Lenard (North Texas, 2003)
Career Record: 210-91-28 (16th season)
BU Record: 9-14-3 (2nd season)

BYU (7-1-1)
Head Coach: Jennifer Rockwood (BYU, 1989)
Career Record: 442-127-55 (29th season)
BYU Record: 442-127-55 (29th season)

TEXAS TECH (7-0-2)
Head Coach: Tom Stone (Duke, 1987)
Career Record: 186-99-45 (17th season)
TTU Record: 186-99-45 (17th season)

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            In one of the most challenging stretches in program history, Baylor soccer (5-3-1) will host sixth-ranked BYU (7-1-1) at 7 p.m. Thursday and No. 25 Texas Tech (7-0-2) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Betty Lou Mays Field.
            Big 12 newcomer BYU was ranked No. 1 for two weeks before tying TCU, 3-3, in its conference opener last Thursday and then falling to in-state rival Utah State, 1-0, in a road test in Logan on Saturday.
            "What they've shown in the last couple of games is that anything can happen in the NCAA," second-year Baylor head coach Michelle Lenard said. "They were No. 1, now they're No. 6. They're still really good. Anything can happen, anything can change. So, we don't worry too much about the rankings. We just focus on the team in front of us."
            One of the most dynamic teams in the country, BYU is second in the league and third nationally with 28 goals in nine games. Six players have scored at least three goals, led by Olivia Katoa and Erin Bailey with five apiece.
            "They're very similar to us. They want to be on the ball, they want to be in control of the game," Lenard said. "Where they're really special is the final third. They're aggressive, they're brave and they're dangerous from a lot of different places on the field.
            "We have to be super disciplined, we have to be equally as brave, and we have to limit their opportunities. Obviously, we're going to have to create some of our own on the other of the field so that they're not down our throats the whole game."
            Sophomore midfielder Skye Leach said the Bears have to "just play our game."
            "When we play our game, we can control the game, we play our best," Leach said.
            Ashley Merrill scored her seventh goal on a first-half header in Sunday's 1-0 win over UTSA, but "we let the game become too transitional," Lenard said.
            "I think we lost a little bit of just making better decisions in certain moments where we didn't maybe have the numbers to go forward," she said. "I think we lacked that balance, with the urgency to win the ball back and then try to hit the counter, because there were opportunities for that. If you play a transitional team, you don't want to play their game. And we did that."
            Without a doubt, Baylor has the most difficult opening schedule in conference play, going against the other two ranked teams in the league after a 4-0 loss last Thursday to then-No. 16 Texas. The Bears are 3-2 at home and wrap up a six-game homestand with the matchups against BYU and Texas Tech.
            "We've been able to watch some of their games," said freshman forward Skylar Zinnecker. "And while they're going to be a good opponent, I don't think it's anything we need to be scared of. I think we'll respect them, as they're going to be a good team, but nothing we're going to be afraid of. We're going to come, play our game and compete."
            After the Bears played six of their first seven games on the road, including the two exhibition games, Zinnecker said it was "an adjustment coming to play at home, but now we're definitely in a routine and we have a system that's working for us."
            "And I think we're excited," she said. "We get to play in front of our family and friends, and it's always good to get to play in front of them."
            While the approach has to be that it's just another game, Lenard said "playing the best in the country is a great opportunity for us to see where we are, where we want to go and the opportunity to come away with a point (tie) or three (win)."
            "And we genuinely feel like we have a chance to do that, so we're not afraid of them," she said. "They're good, it's going to be difficult, we're going to need to play well. But if we play our best, we feel that we have a legitimate shot at coming away with a tie or a win, which is a big result in our conference right now. And then, we go on to the next game."
            Both games will be streamed by Big 12 Now on ESPN+, with live scoring available at http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=469432.

STORY LINES

Baylor soccer will resume conference play this week, as they host No. 6 BYU Thursday, Sept. 21 and No. 25 Texas Tech Sunday, Sept. 24, at Betty Lou Mays Field.
This marks the Bears first match against a top-5 opponent at home since Sept. 20, 2019, when the Bears faced No. 2 USC scoring two goals at the end of regulation to force a 2-2 overtime draw.
Thursday's match will feature Twin Thursday where fans are encouraged to dress like twins and the first 100 students will receive a free t-shirt. Sunday's match will be Bruiser's Birthday Bash, where the first 100 Cubs in attendance will receive an exclusive giveaway item at the marketing table and Cub Club members can enjoy everything from the bounce house, face painters and birthday cake.
The 2023 season marks the 27th season of the Baylor Soccer program. During that time, BU has won four Big 12 titles, advanced to two Elite Eights and had four All-Americans to go with countless All-Big 12 and Academic All-Big 12 honorees.
This season also marks the second year of the Michelle Lenard coaching era, as she was selected as the Bears sixth head coach in program history in December of 2021.
The Bears are off to their best start to a season since the 2018 campaign, sporting a 5-3-1 record.
Through the first seven games of the season, the Bears have compiled shutout wins and are outscoring opponents, 18-9. BU's 18 goals through the first nine games are also the most since the 2018 season when the Bears had 22 to start the season.
Eight different players have scored this season as Baylor has used a balanced offensive attack and a stifling defensive effort to total 18 goals and five shutouts.
Three of the Bears first four goals this season were scored by newcomers, freshman Skylar Zinnecker and Callie Conrad and another from transfer Tyler Isgrig. Conrad also recorded an assist in the first week of play, making her the first freshman to score points in the in each of the Bears first two games of a season since Maddie Algya and Taylor Moon did so in 2018.
Goalkeepers Makinzie Short and Ashlee Zirkel have split time in goal this season.
The Bears opened conference play last week against Texas, facing them for last time as a conference foe in regular season play. BU held the Longhorns scoreless through the first half, but UT came back and won 4-0 at the end of regulation.
Baylor also faced UTSA in its last nonconference matchup of the season, defeating the Roadrunners, 1-0, behind a goal from Ashley Merrill, her seventh of the season.
BU's seven goals against ACU this season was the first seven-goal game since Sept. 18, 2016, when the Bears beat Jackson State at home, 7-0.
Alson in the win over ACU, Ashley Merrill recorded the first hat trick for the Bears, since Taylor Moon did so on March 27, 2021, vs Louisiana. She now ties Baylor records with three second-half goals and six second-half points. Her three goals in under four minutes is the fastest hat trick in Baylor soccer history. She also has now scored in five of the past seven matches for the Bears and ranks in the top-25 in the country with seven goals on the season.
Tyler Isgrig and Merrill both lead the Bears with 14 points on the season, as Isgrig has four goals and six assists.
Four Bears have recorded their first-career goals so far this season.
In the past 54 games at home, Baylor has a record of 31-14-9, that's good for a .657 winning percentage that dates back to the end of the 2017 season.
BU is 1-1 all-time against the BYU Cougars, with the last meeting happening on Sept. 1, 2014, when the Bears won 2-1.
The Bears are 18-8-4 all-time against Texas Tech, falling to them last season 2-0 in Lubbock, Texas.

- BaylorBears.com -

SOC Continues Conference Play With No. 6 BYU, No. 25 Texas Tech

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Players Mentioned

Maddie Algya

Callie Conrad

Tyler Isgrig

Skye Leach

Ashley Merrill

Taylor Moon

Makinzie Short

Skylar Zinnecker

Ashlee Zirkel

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