BOCA RATON, Fla. – The UTSA soccer team opens up a three-week road stretch as the Roadrunners face Florida Atlantic on Thursday. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. (CT) at FAU Soccer Stadium.
This is the third straight conference match against an opponent who will be moving conferences together next year. Both UTSA and Florida Atlantic are set to join the American Athletic Conference in 2023. The Roadrunners and Owls have faced each other five times since both teams joined Conference USA in 2013.
The Roadrunners are hitting the road with momentum after earning their first C-USA win of the season, a 2-0 shutout of Charlotte on Sept. 18. With the win, UTSA improved to 6-2-1 overall and 1-1 in conference action. The Roadrunners outshot the 49ers by 20 shots to six shots, as well as earning 12 corner kicks to Charlotte's three corners.
The Roadrunners and 49ers played to a 0-0 draw through the first half. In the second half, UTSA started producing some numbers that led them to a win. Jordan Walker and Olivia Alvarez scored their first career goals to help lead the Roadrunners to a 2-0 win.
LEADING THE ROADRUNNERS
The Roadrunners are ranked No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches' South Region rankings, announced the organization on Tuesday. Nationally, UTSA ranks in the top-30 in three different categories, including 17th in assists per game (2.78), 11th in total assists (25), and 26th in total points (67).
The team is second in the Conference USA with 160 shots, 67 points, 21 goals and 25 assists. The Roadrunners are tied for the least goals allowed (six) in the conference through their first nine matches. As a team, the Roadrunners have outshot their opponents by 160 shots to 55 shots through the season so far.
Kiran Singh leads the team with 22 shots (six on goal) and nine points (two goals and five assists), starting in all eight matches. In the nation, Singh has the 37th-most assists per game (0.62) and 19th-most total assists. Preseason Conference Team selection Anna Sutter is tied with Singh for most points, Sutter's consisting of three goals and three assists.
Sasjah Dade was named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week on Aug. 30. Although she is a defender by trade, Dade has contributed greatly on offense as she has seven points consisting of three goals and one assist. She is 37th in the nation and tied for first in the conference with two game-winning goals. Defensively, she has an impressive 77 percent of defensive challenges won and 83 percent successful tackles.
The defensive line of Dade, Deja Sandoval, Kloza and Sabrina Hillyer have played integral roles in the Roadrunners only allowing a conference-best six goals and recording five shutouts through the first nine matches, accounting for 2,881 minutes combined.
SERIES HISTORY
In the all-time series, UTSA holds a 1-2-2 record against the Florida Atlantic Owls. The teams last played each other on Oct. 11, 2019, when the Roadrunners fell to the Owls, 2-1, in Boca Raton, Fla. In the loss three seasons ago, then-freshman Lexi Bolton scored UTSA's lone goal and led the team with five shots. Then-freshman Jil Schneider recorded four saves.
SCOUTING THE OWLS
Florida Atlantic is coming off a 1-0 conference-opening win over North Texas on Sept. 18 and are currently on a three-match winning streak. The Owls hold a 5-3-2 overall record and 1-0-0 Conference USA record after the match against North Texas. Florida Atlantic was chosen to finish third out of 11 teams in the C-USA and earned one first-place vote, according to the conference preseason coaches poll. Defender Amanda Martin and midfielder Gi Krstec were both chosen to the C-USA Preseason Team.
The Owls are No. 5 in the South Region in this week's United Soccer Coaches regional rankings. Bri Austin leads the Owls with 29 shots and 11 points, consisting of four goals and three assists. Goalkeeper Lexi Gonzalez has started six of 10 matches for FAU, recording 21 saves and allowing nine goals in that time.
UP NEXT: The Roadrunners head to Florida International in Miami on Sunday for an 11 a.m. kickoff.
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