CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The UTSA soccer team will play its first Conference USA semifinal match in program history, going head-to-head with No 2 seed North Texas on Friday afternoon. The match is set to kickoff on ESPN+ at 4:30 p.m. (ET)/3:30 p.m. (CT) from Transamerica Field.
UTSA advanced to the semifinal round for the first time in program history, after defeating No. 3 seed UAB, 1-0, in double overtime on Wednesday afternoon. After a match filled of anticipation, the Roadrunners put a plan into action to prevent their fate relying on penalty kicks with just under three minutes left in the second overtime period. Isa Hernandez sent the ball towards the edge of the box, where Avery Chaney connected and fed it to Anna Sutter. Sutter then sent it into the net to give the Roadrunners a late 1-0 advantage, a lead they kept through the final two minutes to ensure the victory.
The Roadrunners ended the regular season with two straight wins to secure the No. 6 seed in the conference tournament, their highest conference finish in program history. The Roadrunners tied their program record for most wins in conference play (tied with the 2019 season) and most points in C-USA play (15).
A program-high four Roadrunners were named the All-Conference USA Teams. Sophomore Sutter earned First Team honors, the first UTSA student-athlete to earn first team since joining the conference in 2013. Kiran Singh and Kendall Kloza both earned Second Team, Singh's first postseason award and Kloza's second consecutive award. Sasjah Dade was named to the Third Team, also earning her first career postseason honor.
Aside from athletic achievements, UTSA has been succeeding in the classroom as well, earning a program-high three Roadrunners on the C-USA All-Academic Team. Alissa Stewart was named to the First Team, while Jil Schneider and Sutter earned Second Team honors.
Second Team honoree Singh leads the Roadrunners with 42 shots (16 on goal) and 18 points (six goals and six assists). First Team honoree Sutter is right behind her with 15 points, consisting of five goals (three game winners) and five assists. Third Team defender Dade has contributed greatly on offense with 11 points this season, including three clutch game-winning goals. Goalkeepers Schneider and Mia Krusinski have combined for 50 saves and only allowed 15 goals this season.
North Texas earned the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament after ending the regular season with a 2-1 win over Louisiana Tech. The Mean Green advanced to the semifinal round after defeating No. 7 seed WKU, 5-1, in the quarterfinal round on Wednesday.
Eight North Texas student-athletes were named to the postseason team – Olivia Klein, Taylor Tufts, Rachel Roebuck, Allie Byrd, Madi Starrett, Kat Burnell, Summer Brown and Dani Jacobson. Klein was named the Player of the Year and leads the Mean Green with 24 points, consisting of 10 goals and four assists.
In the all-time series, UTSA holds a 4-7 record against the North Texas Mean Green. The teams last played each other on Oct. 16, 2022, when the Mean Green defeated the Roadrunners, 3-1. Singh recorded UTSA's lone goal of the match, a penalty kick goal in the 32nd minute.
UP NEXT: The winner of this match will face the winner of No. 5 Florida Atlantic/No. 8 Charlotte on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET) in the C-USA Championship match.
- UTSA -
