Memphis Plays SMU in American Semifinal Friday

Friday, November 4

Storrs, Conn.

3:30 PM

University of Memphis

No. 3 SMU

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Nov 03, 2016 | Women's Soccer

2016 Memphis Women's Soccer Notes

Second-seeded Tigers begin quest for tournament title

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The second-seeded Memphis women's soccer team will begin the quest for a sixth conference tournament championship, when the Tigers face No. 3 SMU in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament Friday at 3:30 p.m. (CT).

SMU defeated No. 6 UCF on penalties, 3-2, to advance to the semifinals. The Mustangs and Knights were tied 1-1 after 110 minutes of game action.

"I'm happy with the way we are playing right now," Memphis head coach Brooks Monaghan said. "But that is all behind us now. The next segment of the season starts, which is the postseason. We will take it one game at a time and we'll be ready. Anybody can win this tournament, it just depends on who is at the top of their game."

GAME INFORMATION:
Friday, Nov. 4 | 3:30 p.m. CT
No. 2 Memphis vs. No. 3 SMU
Location: Storrs, Conn.
Venue: Joseph J. Morrone Stadium
Twitter Updates: @MemphisWSoccer
Video: American Digital Network
Live Stats: StatBroadcast

Earlier this season, the Tigers picked up a road win over SMU, 3-1. Sophomore forward Elizabeth Woerner scored twice in the opening five minutes of the match and the Tigers got a late goal from freshman Jessica Lisi to seal the win.

Memphis has a decided advantage in the all-time series with SMU. The Tigers are 9-1-2 against the Mustangs dating back to 2005. SMU hasn't beaten Memphis since the first meeting in 2005.

The teams have met one other time in postseason play, during the quarterfinals of the 2009 C-USA Tournament in Dallas. Memphis beat SMU, 6-2, on the way to winning the tournament championship on the Mustangs' home field.

Memphis senior Valerie Sanderson, a four-time all-conference player, became the Tigers' all-time leading goal-scorer this season with 52 goals. The Boisbriand, Quebec native also holds the program's career record with 122 points. She has 16 career game-winning goals and also holds the program record with 12 multiple-goal matches. This season she has 16 goals and 39 points, which are both the most by a senior in school history.

No. 4 seed USF also needed penalties to advance to the semifinal against No. 1 UConn. The winners of Friday's semifinal matches will meet in the championship match Sunday at 1 p.m. (CT) on ESPNU.

The tournament champion will receive the American Athletic Conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA selection show will be on Monday, Nov. 7 at 3:30 p.m. (CT).