UTB-TSC Capsules: Scorpions hope to clear NAIA opening round hurdle for first time
JACKSON, Miss. — The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College men’s soccer team has been to this level before but has been unable to cross the threshold.
With the Scorpions as an underdog, coach Dan Balaguero knows UTB-TSC will be in for a tremendous challenge when it meets Belhaven University at 2 p.m. Saturday at Newell Field in one of 15 NAIA national championship opening-round games.
Belhaven (15-4) and lost in the semifinals of the tough Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament. The Blazers received an at-large bid to the tournament, are seeded No. 12 and are one of four SSAC teams in the 31-team field.
“At this stage of the season, every team you play is going to be very good,” Scorpions coach Dan Balaguero said. “Playing on the road at Belhaven will be a tremendous challenge for us.”
Belhaven’s roster is comprised of more international players than that of UTB-TSC. The Blazers have 18 players from 10 countries, compared to the Scorpions’ 17 players from nine countries.
Belhaven has a slight edge in statistics. The Blazers have scored 58 goals compared to 53 for the Scorpions, have allowed 15 goals compared to 25 for the Scorpions, and have posted 11 shutouts compared to six for the Scorpions.
Achille Campion leads Belhaven in scoring with 15 goals, and Will Mousour is second with 10.
Leigh Veidman leads the Scorpions with 14 goals, and Steve Howard and Mario Perez have eight each.
UTB-TSC (13-5-2) qualified for the game differently than in previous years. The Scorpions’ four-year run of Red River Athletic Conference championships ended with a 1-0 loss to Huston-Tillotson on Nov. 12 in Cedar Hill.
However, the Scorpions still qualified because NAIA rules dictate that two teams advance to the postseason if there are 12 or more teams in a conference. The RRAC had 12 in men’s soccer.
“We are a little banged up, which is an issue most teams in the country face this time of the season, we will need for the healthy guys to step up,” Balaguero said.
Forward Perez, midfielder Orrin Farrell and defender Tommy Catania are questionable after injuries last weekend, when UTB-TSC lost the RRAC championship for the first time. UTB-TSC won four straight titles from 2007-10, without losing a conference game during that span.
“I hope that we can represent our university, the city of Brownsville and the Red River Athletic Conference well Saturday,” Balaguero said.
The winner of the game advances to the site of the final 16 teams Nov. 28 through Dec. 3 in Orange Beach, Ala. They will play the winner of the game between No. 5 seed Rio Grande (Ohio) and Madonna University (Mich.).
Women’s Soccer
Scorpions visit University of Mobile in clash of surging teams
MOBILE, Ala. — The University of Mobile (Ala.) women’s soccer team has respect, with a season record of 17-3-1 and a No. 5 ranking in the NAIA. The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College is 17-2-1 and will look to earn some respect of its own.
This NAIA national women’s soccer championship opening-round game at 6 p.m. Saturday at The University of Mobile is the best pairing of teams with outstanding records.
Mobile lost in the Southern States Athletic Conference championship game to third-ranked and defending national champion Lee University (Tenn.). The Rams are No. 5 in the final NAIA coaches top 25 poll and No. 7 in the Modified Ratings Percentage Index.
UTB-TSC is 16-2-1 and has won 15 straight games, the second-longest active winning streak in the NAIA. The Scorpions are the top team receiving votes outside the top 25 and ranked No. 26 in MRPI.
The two teams met in the season opener in Aug. 25 in Hattiesburg, Miss. The game ended in a 0-0 tie.
It shapes up to be an exciting game Saturday in Mobile.
“Everything we did as a team not only this season but so far should have prepared us to play well with Mobile,” Scorpions coach Nik Barjaktarevic said. “They are the obvious favorite coming into this game, being a top-five team, and it will definitely be an exciting game to watch as well as play at the biggest stage.”
Mobile is led by Christy Lapachelle, who has scored 18 goals this year. Kassie Ruff has 14 goals and Jesslyn Fagundes has 11. Mobile has scored 61 goals, allowed 18 and has posted 11 shutouts.
“Mobile is very organized defensively, can score and put a lot of pressure offensively, and they showed it consistently this year,” Barjaktarevic said. “It’s also a great matchup having played them at the beginning of the season to a tie after 110 minutes, so sure both teams will be ready for the rematch.”
UTB-TSC started the year 2-2-1, including a road loss to tournament-bound and No. 12 California State University-San Marcos. But since then, the Scorpions have run off 15 straight victories, including a 9-0 run through the Red River Athletic Conference and two victories in the RRAC tournament.
The Scorpions set a school record for wins with 17, goals scored with 77 and goals allowed with 13 during the first 20 games. The Scorpions posted 14 shutouts.
Laura Luis led the Scorpions in scoring with 14 goals in 11 games. Isadora Freitas and Samantha Garcia scored 11 goals each, and Leah Russell led the team in assists with 12.
“Preparation for this game has been going really well, and we will also have a chance to train twice at Mobile, get our legs back after long trip and get used to the field,” Barjaktarevic said. “Results and production of our team has been magnificent lately, and I believe everyone realizes the importance of the game ahead.”
The winner of Saturday’s game advances to the site of the final 16 teams Nov. 28 through Dec. 3 in Decatur, Ala. They will play the winner of the game between No. 10 Concordia University (Calif.) and unseeded Graceland University at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29.
