LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. – After starting the first program appearance in the American Conference Championships on a history-making victory over fourth-seeded UAB on Monday, the fifth-seeded Roadrunners soccer team (9-5-5) is back in semifinal action on Thursday at the Premier Sports Campus. Waiting in the next round is a rematch with regular season champion Memphis (16-0-2) – after the Tigers survived East Carolina with a closing-moments goal in the quarterfinal. The next round is set for 6 p.m. CT on Thursday, Nov. 6, for the opportunity to move on to the conference final. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Following the action
The game will be carried live on ESPN+ with Sean Salisbury and Jordyn Listro on the broadcast call from Lakewood Ranch.
The American Conference will also provide live stats.
About the Roadrunners
The Roadrunners moved their win count to nine on back-to-back vicories and a tournament-opening inaugural victory in the American Championships. The Roadrunners’ defense is where they make their name, but the offense came out aggressive in defeating fourth-seeded UAB and keeping the Blazers on the run. Forward Michelle Polo scored her fourth goal in six games to get the Roadrunners moving and defender Aaliyaiah Durden put the game away with a set piece header for the gamewinner in the second half. After that, it was up to UTSA’s bread and butter, fending off the last attacks from the Blazers. UAB narrowed the game to 2-1 in the 79th minute, but UTSA held them without a shot for the rest of the game.
A proven defense that succeeded in creating pressure on both sides of the ball got the fifth-seeded Roadrunners off to a strong start in the first tournament appearance since 2022, ranking second in the conference in goals-against-average (0.79), save percentage (.837) and shutout percentage (.368). UTSA went 18 straight games (into last season) with one goal or less allowed, extending that standard since 2020 to 75-of-96 (78.1 percent) of games, with a 0.79 GAA in that span. In 19 games this season, UTSA has only allowed 15 opposing scores, notching seven total shutouts. Offensively, UTSA averages 1.16 goals on 14.1 shots and 5.9 on-goal shots per game – the shot average ranking sixth in the conference.
Polo now ties Zoë May for the most goals this season at five, while Ava Jackson and Durden each have three apiece. The Roadrunners have scored six goals in the last three games. Freshman Brooklyn Bailey leads the team with five assists and a team-high 34 shots, while May has a team-best 15 shots on goal and a .500 SOG%. Jasmine Kessler recorded five saves against the Blazers to bring her season total to 72 and career to 170, moving ahead of Rachel Francis for second in all-time UTSA saves. Kessler leads the American in save percentage at .828 (52nd NCAA), is second in GAA at 0.83 (59th NCAA) and second in solo shutouts (5). This season, Kessler registered the school records for career shutouts (15) and draws (11).
About the Memphis Tigers
Undeniably one of the toughest opponents in the country, coming in ranked nationally at No. 3 and undefeated on the year. The Tigers are also a team that the Roadrunners have matched up with well. On October 23 at Park West, Elise Perron got an early score in the 25th minute and the Memphis defense stepped up to quiet the Roadrunners in the 2-0 loss.
The Tigers lead the league on both sides of the ball, boasting a 2.67 goals per game average, while also the nation’s top GAA at 0.33, but have had their share of one-goal margin outcomes this year and a pair of ties – just over three minutes from going to overtime in the opening round this week. Leading the way for the Tigers is American Offensive Player of the Year Ashley Henderson, who has racked up 10 goals and six assists on the year, putting together 42 shots on goal on a .494 SOG. She’s complemented by American Midfielder of the Year Ai Kitagawa, who has eight goals and four assists, as well as Perron with five goals and a team-leading seven assists. In goal, American Goalkeeper of the Year Abby Kudla has been tough to get past, allowing just six goals on the year toward her 0.38 GAA. She has 29 saves and an .829 save percentage.
UTSA Postseason History
After topping UAB, the Roadrunners hold a 9-6-1 record in conference tournament games, last making a league appearance in 2022, when UTSA swept past UAB (1-0, OT), North Texas (2-1) and Florida Atlantic (3-2) to produce the program’s first title and NCAA appearance since 2010. UTSA previously earned the Southland Conference Championships title as the 2010 squad went extra time in matchups with Stephen F. Austin (T, 1-1 2OT) and Southeastern Louisiana (W, 1-0 OT) to earn the program’s first title and NCAA postseason.
UP NEXT: The winner of Thursday’s two semifinals will meet in the American Conference Championship game on Sunday, Nov. 9, with a 1 p.m. CT kickoff on ESPNU.
- UTSA -