SAN ANTONIO – After concluding its two-match exhibition slate, UTSA will begin its regular season tomorrow, August 18, as it hosts the Houston Baptist Huskies at Park West. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the match will be streamed on CUSA.tv.
The Roadrunners began their exhibition slate on August 6, when they welcomed the Texas State Bobcats to town. The match was played in three thirty-minute periods. UTSA got goals from Kendall Kloza (3'), Abby Kassal (20') and Sarina Russ (72') as they held on to defeat the Bobcats 3-2.
UTSA's second exhibition contest came on August 14 when they welcomed the Big 12's Baylor Bears to Park West. The Bears entered the match coming off a win over the LSU Tigers in their first exhibition action. UTSA again got out of the gates quick, as Kendall Kloza put the Roadrunners on the board, against scoring in the third minute of the match. The Bears eventually countered though, as Baylor's Ashley Merrill netted two first-half goals. Merrill's second goal proved to be the difference as Baylor went on to win 2-1.
Leading the Roadrunners
The Roadrunners return 10 starters from its best team in school history as well as 12 other letter winners. UTSA will look to replace the production from one of the best to ever don a Roadrunner uniform in Ellis Patterson.
Kloza is back after earning Second-Team All-Conference USA recognition last year and is primed to lead the UTSA defense again. Also back is Preseason All-Conference honoree, sophomore phenom Anna Sutter who earned Second Team All-Conference USA as well as All-Freshman recognition last year. Despite missing a third of the season to injury, Sutter led the Roadrunners in goals (7) and game-winning goals (3).
Also back are fellow defensive stalwarts Deja Sandoval and Sabrina Hillyer who were crucial in helping UTSA allow the fourth-fewest goals in C-USA. Among the other returners are goalkeeper Jil Schneider and midfielder Alissa Stewart, both of whom were named to the Conference USA All-Academic Second Team. Schneider broke the school record for most shutouts in a season with eight. Other returning starters include Sarina Russ, Alex Granville, Kiran Singh and Sasjah Dade.
Not only is UTSA returning 10 starters, but it is also returning experience and depth on its bench. Isa Hernandez, Lexi Bolton and Abby Kassal are all in at least their fifth year of schooling and have been key contributors to the Roadrunners' success over the years.
UTSA also has plenty of talent coming in via high school or the transfer portal. Mia Krusinski, a goalkeeper transfer from FGCU, was named to the All-Freshman team in the ASUN and will provide great competition in the net. Avery Chaney, a midfielder and Texas Tech transfer, comes to UTSA after two years with the Red Raiders where she made three starts. Also transferring in are two Arlington, Texas natives, Olivia Alvarez and Savannah Powell. Alvarez last played for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi where she spent two seasons and Powell comes to UTSA from Prairie View A&M after one year with the Black Panthers.
The Roadrunners are also bringing in a quintet of freshmen as they look to build off their best season ever. Three of the incoming freshman, Victoria Arenivas, Presley Drawe and Kaylee Reithmann, are Texas natives with Drawe and Reithmann having attended high school here in San Antonio. Freshman Kendall Gouner is now the fourth player on the roster that hails from Colorado and fellow freshman Irish Miles hails from South Carolina.
Series history
The Roadrunners lead the all-time series against HBU, as they own a 5-2-1 record. The Huskies will meet the Roadrunners in San Antonio for the second straight season after the two teams tied 1-1 last September. UTSA is 2-0-1 against Houston Baptist in games played in San Antonio.
Scouting the Huskies
Houston Baptist enters the 2022 campaign after turning in a 4-14-1 2021 season. The Huskies return eight contributing starters from last year and are led by junior forward/midfielder Katie Marker. Last season Marker produced three goals and five assists for the Bears and scored a team-high 11 points. Marker was named second-team All-Conference in the Southland last season.
HBU also returns senior midfielder/forward Ryan Ford who is the second highest scoring returning player. Last year Ford put forth two goals and five assists (tied with Marker for the team lead) to total nine points.
Houston Baptist lost three seniors who started each game last year, including its starting goalkeeper who never exited the field, its lead goal-scorer and its best defender.
UP NEXT: UTSA will return to Park West this Sunday, August 21, to host the Texas Southern Tigers. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. and the match will be streamed on CUSA.tv.
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