Rams host final two home matches this weekend

By Alan Wiederhold-Sohn
HT Athletic Communications

AUSTIN – Huston-Tillotson University's soccer teams host their last two home doubleheaders of the season this week as the Rams welcome North American (Texas) and Xavier (La.) to the greater Austin area this weekend.
 
Thursday's doubleheader has been moved to a familiar venue – the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex, where the Rams played most of their home matches the previous season. The Ram women will kick off the doubleheader against the Stallions at 1 p.m.
 
Saturday, the Rams will move back to the Onion Creek Soccer Complex in south Austin when they face the Xavier. HT's women face a tall task on Saturday's Senior Day, as the visiting Gold Nuggets (9-3-1) bring an undefeated record and one of the most prolific offenses in the NAIA to the venue on William Cannon Dr.
 
Meanwhile, Thursday's home match against North American provide the Ram women with a chance for much-needed points to stay in the race for the postseason Red River Athletic Conference tournament. Sophomore midfielder Alondra Quiroz leads the Rams with three goals this season; she scored the second of HT's two goals in the draw with Southwest (N.M.) on Oct. 12.
 
Cheyanna Burnett-Griffith, Kayla Evans, and Izabella Olivo have scored two goals apiece for the Rams in 2024. Burnett-Griffith scored twice in the team's 4-0 win at Texas College on Oct. 1, while Evans scored both HT goals in a loss earlier this season at Jarvis Christian.
 
Freshman goalkeeper Juliet Morales-Martinez has started all 11 matches in goal for the Rams and has a 3.14 goals-against average. She made a career-high 11 saves against Southwest.
 
MATCH DAY 12
The Contest: North American (3-8-2, 1-7-1 RRAC) at HT Rams (2-8-1, 1-6-1 RRAC)
The Outing: Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 • 1:00 p.m.
The Pitch: Round Rock Multipurpose Complex • Round Rock, Texas
The Little Kicks: RedRiverConference.com Live Stats
 
About the Stallions
• North American's season has been eerily similar to HT's, so it's fitting that the Stallions and Rams are close to each other in the RRAC standings (HT in 10th place, North American in 11th).
• Stallions and Rams both have conference wins over Texas College, and non-conference victories over Arlington Baptist. North American also defeated Wiley College in a non-conference match earlier this season.
• Genevieve Colon and Maria Alejandra Acosta have accounted for 13 of North American's 17 goals this season; Colon leads the team with seven goals and two assists.
 
Series Outlook
• Huston-Tillotson was won the only two previous meetings between the Rams and North American, which joined the Red River Athletic Conference as a full member institution last season.
• The Rams won the first meeting between the teams in Round Rock in 2022 by a score of 4-0.
• In last season's conference matchup in Houston, the Rams, with only 12 players available for the match, defeated the Stallions 1-0 thanks to Alexandria Aragon's strike in the 10th minute.
 
MATCH DAY 13
The Contest: Xavier (La.) (9-3-1, 8-0-1 RRAC) at HT Rams
The Outing: Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024 / 1 p.m.
The Pitch: Onion Creek Soccer Complex
The Little Kicks: RedRiverConference.com Live Stats
 
About the Gold Nuggets
• Xavier (La.) has one of the most prolific offenses in the NAIA, as their 62 goals socred rank seventh in the nation and second in the RRAC behind Texas A&M–Texarkana.
• The Gold Nuggets average 4.77 goals per game (eighth in the NAIA) and score on an astounding 26.7 percent of their overall shots taken.
• Samira Roper (Heredia, Costa Rica) leads the RRAC with 14 goals, while her teammate Luci Schroeder (Samtens, Germany) leads the conference with 13 assists. Schroeder can also find the net herself, as she ranks second on her team and fourth in the RRAC with 12 goals scored.
• Theresa Wiesiolek (Karlsruhe, Germany) has posted seven shutouts in goal with the help of her Xavier back four.
 
Series Outlook
• As Xavier (La.) is only in its second season of varsity women's soccer, the teams met for the first time last season in New Orleans.
• The Gold Nuggets defeated Huston-Tillotson 7-0 last season.
 
– HT –