Memphis Hosts UT Martin and Idaho this Weekend

WHAT: Match 5
WHO: UT Martin at Memphis
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. CT, Sept. 11, 2015
WATCH: Memphis Tiger Network
STATS: StatBroadcast
TWITTER: @MemphisWSoccer

WHAT: Match 6
WHO: Idaho at Memphis
WHEN: 1 p.m. CT, Sept. 6, 2015
WATCH: Memphis Tiger Network
STATS: S tatBroadcast
TWITTER: @MemphisWSoccer

Unbeaten in the last two matches, Memphis returns to Mike Rose Soccer Complex to host a familiar foe, UT Martin, Friday at 7:30 p.m. before welcoming a new face, Idaho, Sunday at 11:30 a.m. The Tigers are back home for the first time since opening the season with a 1-0 win over Alabama.

Despite a win and a draw in the previous two matches, the Tigers (2-1-1) haven't been at their best. One goal was enough to beat Alabama and UAB but the one against Dartmouth only earned Memphis a draw. The Tigers' head coach Brooks Monaghan was disappointed with the way the team played in the first half against Dartmouth but he hopes his team is learning from their early-season experiences.

"It was a game of two halves," Monaghan said. "In the first half as a group we came out very lackadaisical and that's just something you can't stand for. All I can ask from the girls is to give 110% and we gave about half of that in the first half. We really challenged them at halftime. It was a different team after that."

"I think we learned a lot from that game. We learned how average we could be or how good we could be. We have a young group and it takes time. You learn from mistakes and we've made some so far this season but I have all the belief that if this team works hard that good things will happen," Monaghan said.

UT Martin fields the youngest team in Division I women's soccer with 15-of-19 student-athletes playing their first season of collegiate soccer. The young squad is in the midst of playing its first eight games away from home and so far the Skyhawks have a 1-4-0 record. The team's lone win came over Evansville, 3-2, in the second game of the season.

Junior forward Saphyra Coombs-James leads the team with two goals while the freshmen quartet of Sierra Franz, Sydney Norris, Amy McGivern and Lisa Schmieder each have one goal. First-year goalkeepers MaKenzie Crawford and Maya Jamison have split time in net but Crawford has played the majority of minutes. In 360 minutes played, Crawford has made 22 saves and allowed 14 goals while Jamison has made eight saves and allowed four goals.

"I know the coaches at UT Martin very well and I know that no matter what, that team will come out and work their tails off. We have to be able to match that to give ourselves a good chance to win. They have always been a contender and a good team. We just need to focus on working hard and good things will happen," said Monaghan.

Idaho is 2-3-0 to start the season with back-to-back one-goal losses in their most recent matches. The Vandals' wins have come against Indiana State and New Mexico State while the losses were to near neighbors Washington State, Boise State and Eastern Washington.

The Vandals are led in scoring by freshman forward Kayla Watanabe with two goals. Junior midfielder Clara Gomez leads the squad with four assists.

"It will be nice to play Idaho. You get used to playing some of the same teams. We don't know a lot about them but I know their coach well and he's a very good coach. I'm expecting a touch match," Monaghan said.

Originally scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start, the Sunday match against Idaho will now be at 11:30 a.m. at Mike Rose Soccer Complex.

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