Mean Green Prepare For Tough Task

RICE MATCH NOTES
DENTON — The North Texas women's soccer team takes its five-match winning streak and three-match shutout streak into the weekend for what will likely be its toughest task of the regular season.

The Mean Green (7-1-1) host Rice on Friday at 7:00 pm and a well rested UAB team on Sunday at 1:00 pm. The Owls, who were picked to finish first in the conference's preseason coaches poll, have always given UNT fits while the Blazers are under second-year head coach Erica Demers who has quickly turned the Blazers program around and has already made waves this season with a 1-0 victory last week over Rice.

"We've gained quite a bit of confidence over the past few weeks," said UNT defensive center back Dominique James. "Having our national ranking rise and holding three consecutive teams to zero goals has us feeling good. But we know we can still get better and we of course want to go 2-0 this weekend against two very good teams."

It's been 338 minutes and nine seconds of game action since UNT last gave up a goal, which came early in the first-half of their 4-1 win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 2. The Mean Green have given up just three goals all year and have a goals-against average of just .325, which not only leads Conference USA by .735, but it's the fourth-best in the nation.

Goalie Kelsey Brann has the nation's ninth-best save percentage at .906 and it's the best in the nation for a freshman.

On the offensive end, North Texas believes if it can score two or more goals in a match that it gives themselves the tipping point advantage, especially at home. No school has scored more than one goal on them this season but you have to go back to September of 2017 to find the last time an opponent came to Denton and scored two or more goals.

UNT is currently riding a 14-home-match unbeaten streak and hasn't given up more than one goal in the last 11 consecutive home matches.

"We trust our defense and they've done an amazing job this season that as an offense we know we have to help them out," said senior forward Taylor Torres.

North Texas' offense for the most part has come through as the team has outscored its nine opponents this season by a combined score of 22-3.

The team's success has garnered national attention.

In the latest United Soccer Coaches poll, North Texas earned 29 top 25 votes. They fell just four spots outside of the top 25. They also moved up in the South Region rankings to No. 2.

"In my three plus years here this is the best we've been ranked," Torres, who has won a conference championship every season she's been in Denton, explained. "As a senior, you know the end is coming so you want to capitalize on this opportunity.

"And we have a big opportunity this weekend," she added.

While at 3-6 and 1-2 in conference play the Owls maybe haven't met their preseason expectations yet but the Mean Green are not taking them lightly.

Every year since 2014 the two schools have met in the regular season and every match has either been a tie or been decided by one goal.

Last season, a nationally ranked Rice team came to Denton and was just two minutes away from doing something no fellow conference team has done since 2008.

With two minutes left in the match, the Owls led 1-0 and were on the verge of snapping the Mean Green's NCAA record for longest home conference unbeaten streak, which at the time stood at 41 consecutive matches.

However, a 88th minute goal by North Texas' Cat Sebazco tied the match up and sent it to overtime where it'd end in a draw.

UNT has maintained its home conference unbeaten streak. It currently stands at 45 consecutive matches. They are 42-0-3 since its last home conference lost, which came on Oct. 31 2008.

"We gave up an early goal," James said of last year's match with Rice. "It put us in a tricky position. We can't afford to do that ever, especially against these teams."

As for UAB (6-4-1, 3-1), the Mean Green beat the Blazers at home last year, 1-0, in what was a nearly as intense match as the one with Rice.

The Blazers do not have a match this week prior to their trip to Denton and will likely look to take advantage of North Texas making a quick turnaround.

Despite being undefeated in conference play and owning the league's best overall record, due to multiple rained out conference matches, the Mean Green currently sit in a tie for seventh place as they've only been able to play two C-USA matches and collect six points. Meanwhile, Charlotte and Florida Atlantic are at the top of the standings with perfect 4-0 records in conference and 12 points.

UNT has already rescheduled one of its rained out matches for the end of the year and will likely have to reschedule the second match as no team can afford not playing a game.

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Kelsey Brann

Dominique James

Cat Sebazco

Taylor Torres

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