SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA soccer team concludes a three-match homestand as it hosts Conference USA foe Charlotte on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. (CT) at Park West Athletics Complex.
This will be the final C-USA regular season match between Charlotte and UTSA as both teams are making the move to the American Athletic Conference next year. The Roadrunners and 49ers have been playing each other in the C-USA since both teams joined the conference in 2013, facing each other six times during that span.
The Roadrunners are coming off a 2-1 loss to C-USA preseason favorite Rice in the conference opener on Wednesday. Despite the match ending in a loss, UTSA played a defensive and highly strategic game against the Owls. The Roadrunners kept Rice scoreless and shotless through the last 80 minutes of the match. UTSA outshot the Owls by nine shots to three shots in the matchup.
The Owls jumped out to an early advantage as they scored two goals in the first 10 minutes of the match. Marlee Fray put the Roadrunners on the board with a 41st minute goal. Although UTSA came very close to scoring in the last 10 minutes of the match, the Roadrunners were not quite able to find the back of the net as they opened conference action with a 2-1 loss to Rice.
LEADING THE ROADRUNNERS
The Roadrunners are ranked No. 5 in the United Soccer Coaches' South Region rankings, announced the organization on Tuesday. Nationally, UTSA ranks in the top-30 in three different categories, including 13th in assists per game (2.62), 12th in total assists (21), and 25th in total points (59).
The team is second in the Conference USA with 140 shots, 61 points, 19 goals and 23 assists. The Roadrunners are tied for the least goals allowed (six) in the conference through their first eight matches. As a team, the Roadrunners have outshot their opponents by 140 shots to 49 shots through the season so far.
Kiran Singh leads the team with 20 shots (six on goal) and nine points (two goals and five assists), starting in all eight matches. In the nation, Singh has the 24th-most assists per game (0.62) and 11th-most total assists.
Sasjah Dade was named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week on Aug. 30. Although she is a defender by trade, Dade has contributed greatly on offense as she has six points consisting of three goals. She is 31st in the nation and tied for first in the conference with two game-winning goals. Defensively, she has an impressive 77 percent of defensive challenges won and 83 percent successful tackles.
The defensive line of Dade, Deja Sandoval, Kloza and Sabrina Hillyer have played integral roles in the Roadrunners only allowing a conference-best six goals and recording four shutouts through the first seven matches, accounting for 2,545 minutes combined. As a defensive unit, these four combine for 73.5 percent defensive challenges won, 72.5 percent successful tackles and 29 interceptions.
SERIES HISTORY
In the all-time series, UTSA holds a 2-3-1 record against the Charlotte 49ers. The teams last played each other on Oct. 27, 2019, when the Roadrunners took a 2-1 win over the Niners in Charlotte, N.C. In the win three seasons ago, then-redshirt sophomore Isa Hernandez scored the opening goal. Then-freshman Jil Schneider recorded four saves in the match.
SCOUTING THE 49ERS
Charlotte is coming off a 4-0 conference-opening loss against North Texas on Thursday. The 49ers hold a 1-5-2 overall record and 0-1-0 Conference USA record after the match against North Texas. The Niners have allowed the most goals (19) in the conference this season. Charlotte was chosen to finish eighth out of 11 teams in the C-USA, according to the conference preseason coaches poll.
Tash Hudson leads the Niners with 15 shots (eight on goal) and four goals on the season. Goalkeeper Emily Keck has totaled 495 minutes and recorded 29 saves while allowing 13 goals. The Niners are in their first season at the reins of new head coach Brandi Fontaine.
UP NEXT: The Roadrunners hit the road for some conference action in the Sunshine State. UTSA will play Florida Atlantic on Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. in Boca Raton, Fla. The team will then head to Florida International in Miami on Sept. 25 for an 11 a.m. kickoff.
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