Baylor Press Release
By: Jonathan Hill
DURHAM, N.C. – No. 23 Baylor soccer (15-5-3, 4-4-1 Big 12) has already advanced further than any team in program history, playing in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship. But the team is not done yet, looking to advance to the Women’s College Cup with a win over No. 3 Duke (22-2-0, 10-0-0 ACC) on Friday, Nov. 24, at 4:00 p.m. CT/5:00 p.m. ET at Koskinen Stadium.
The Bears are the lone unseeded team remaining in this year’s tournament field and a win over the Blue Devils would mark the first time since 2003 that an unseeded team advanced into the College Cup (Connecticut).
Baylor had a phenomenal weekend in the College Station regional rounds, knocking off defending national champion USC on penalty kicks and then a golden goal win over Notre Dame.
The Blue Devils picked apart two of Baylor’s Big 12 counterparts, taking down Oklahoma State, 7-0, and Texas, 3-0, en route to the fourth round of the tournament.
Baylor faces the Blue Devils for the first time since 1998, a match Baylor won, 4-0, in Durham.
Friday’s match will be live streamed on ESPN3.com and the WatchESPN app.
For live scoring, all updates and an inside look at the program, follow @BaylorFutbol on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
MATCH INFO
Fri., Nov. 24 at Duke @ 4 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. ET
Koskinen Stadium (Durham, N.C.)
Stats: BaylorBears.com/stats
Video: ESPN3.com and WatchESPN app
Tickets: GoDuke.com
#23 BAYLOR BEARS
2017 Record: 15-5-3
2017 Big 12 Record: 4-4-1
Head Coach: Paul Jobson
Career: 36-18-8 (3rd season)
BU: 36-18-8 (3rd season)
#3 DUKE BLUE DEVILS
2017 Record: 22-2-0
2017 ACC Record: 10-0-0
Head Coach: Robbie Church
Career: 401-232-59 (31st season)
Duke: 218-118-45 (17th season)
Series: BU leads, 1-0-0
First Meeting: Aug. 25, 1998
BU won, 4-0, in Durham
Last Meeting: Aug. 25, 1998
BU won, 4-0, in Durham
Jobson vs Duke: Never met
BAYLOR QUICK NOTES
* Baylor advanced to the Elite 8 round of NCAA play for the first time in program history. A win over the Blue Devils would move the Bears into the final four, marking the first time since 2003 that an unseeded team advanced into the College Cup (Connecticut).
* Baylor has already played in a program-record 12 overtime games this season, going 5-4-3 in OT matches. In its most recent extra time match, the Bears notched a golden goal in the first OT period to down Notre Dame.
* A win over the Blue Devils would be the program’s second-ever win over a top-5 opponent, the first since an unranked Baylor squad beat No. 3 Texas A&M on Oct. 12, 1997 in Waco, 2-1 (OT).
* Baylor has gone to PK’s in five matches in program history, including both Big 12 Championship and NCAA tournament play. BU has advanced three times, twice in the Big 12 tournament (2011, 2015) and once in NCAA play (2017). The Bears fell short once each in NCAA (2012) and Big 12 (2014) tourney play.
* Baylor is on a six-match unbeaten streak, winning five matches and tying USC before advancing on PK’s.
* Lauren Piercy has either scored or assisted on six of Baylor’s seven goals in NCAA play.
* Baylor won the program’s second Big 12 Championship tournament title, knocking off No. 14 Texas and No. 16 Oklahoma State before downing TCU for the conference trophy. Aline De Lima earned the tourney’s Offensive MVP honors after scoring two goals and four assists over the three matches.
* Baylor has now had 10 or more wins in 11 of its 22 seasons as a program, six of the last eight, and two-straight under third-year head coach Paul Jobson. The 15 wins for BU is the most since the 2012 squad set a program record with 19 wins.
* Baylor has had at least eight wins in, now, nine straight seasons and has won or advanced by shootout in at least one match at the Big 12 Championship 10 times in 15 appearances, including six in a row.
* Baylor had four total Big 12 postseason honors, including three All-Big 12 first team selections, the most ever in a single-season for the program. Aline De Lima, Precious Akanyirige, and Julie James earned the all-conference honors, while Jennifer Wandt was named the top freshman GK on the Big 12 All-Freshman team.
* Baylor set a program record and led the Big 12 with 17 Academic All-Big 12 selections, with all 17 earning first team honors. BU has had 10+ selections for 11-straight seasons.
* From July 23-26, a group of current and former Baylor soccer student-athletes served on a mission trip to Guatemala alongside Baylor FCA. The mission team served the children of Guatemala City and shared the love of Christ through the game of soccer.
