No. 11 Tigers Host South Florida, Journey to No. 25 Rice

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The No. 11 Memphis girls’s soccer staff is gearing up for 2 large American Conference video games this week, internet hosting South Florida on Thursday, September 25, at 7:00 p.m. earlier than heading to Houston to tackle No. 25 Rice on Sunday, September 28, at 11:00 a.m. 

Both matches shall be streamed on ESPN+. The Tigers (7-0-2, 1-0-1 American) continued their 34-match unbeaten run in dwelling video games with a 1-1 draw towards UAB final Thursday night.  

Game One: South Florida 

Memphis welcomes South Florida for one more chapter in among the finest rivalries within the area. South Florida leads the all-time sequence, 15-8-1, however Memphis picked up a 1-0 win in Tampa final yr. The two groups performed one another within the convention match closing in 2018, 2019 and 2021 with Memphis profitable the primary and third matchup. 

The Bulls (6-4, 2-0 American) have rattled off 5 wins in a row after a shaky begin towards difficult non-conference competitors. They defeated Temple and East Carolina to select up six factors out of six to start convention play. Ranking fourth within the convention and high 100 within the nation with 1.8 targets per sport, Moorhead State switch Hedda Ornberg leads the best way with 5 targets and two assists. 2024 Midfielder of the Year Sadie Sider-Echenberg has three targets and an help. 

Chris Brown is in his second yr as the top coach, taking up after 17 years as affiliate head coach when Denise Brown left to educate Tampa Bay Sun FC within the USL Super League. Last season, they had been the No. 2 within the convention, falling to East Carolina on penalty kicks within the semifinals. 

Game Two: Rice 

Memphis can have an early begin on Sunday morning in Houston, battling No. 25 Rice at 11:00 a.m. The third ranked opponent this season (No. 11 Vanderbilt, No. 2 Tennessee), it’s the first top-25 American Conference matchup since they the No. 14 Tigers misplaced at No. 21 South Florida, 2-1, on April 3, 2021. 

The all-time sequence favors Memphis 10-2-1, together with two wins, 4-1 and 3-1, final season within the common season and convention match semifinal, respectively. Rice (7-1-1, 1-0-1 American) holds the second-best report within the convention behind the Tigers. After drawing 3-3 with UAB within the opener, they bounced again with a 2-1 win over Florida Atlantic. They will face off with Temple in Philadelphia whereas Memphis performs South Florida. 

Leah Chancey, the convention’s 2024 Offensive Player of the Year, has gotten off to an excellent hotter begin in her closing yr of eligibility, main the NCAA with 23 factors (eight targets, seven assists). The 2024 SMU switch leads an assault that’s 18th within the nation with 2.56 targets per sport. 

Rice is coached by Brian Lee, in his seventh season in cost after becoming a member of Rice from LSU. He just lately earned his 350th win, second-most of any head coach within the convention behind John Hedlund (North Texas) and one spot forward of Brooks Monaghan. 

Tiger Tidbits 

• When coming off a loss or draw, Memphis has a report of 21-9-8 (.658) since 2016.
• The Tigers shall be searching for a second top-25 win this season, which might match their most ever (2009). Among their two wins that yr was No. 25 LSU, which was led by present Rice coach Brian Lee.
• Memphis is one in all 11 groups with out a loss this season.

How to observe the Tigers: For full info on Memphis Tigers Soccer, go to www.GoTigersGo.com and observe the staff’s social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.