Big 12 Championship Action Begins Wednesday

¹⁸Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma
Big 12 Championship
Nov. 4 | 2 p.m. CT | Kansas City, Mo.

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Kassidie Stade/Jr./GK Stade has anchored an OU defense that holds a +16 goal differential on the year, including a +3 advantage in Big 12 play. Against TCU on Sunday, Oct. 25, Stade recorded her seventh shutout of the season. That tied her for first in OU single-season history with Jennifer Nichols, who tallied seven in both 2005 and 2006.

NORMAN — In pursuit of its first conference title, the Oklahoma soccer team begins play at the 2015 Big 12 Championship on Wednesday, Nov. 4. The No. 4 seed Sooners (10-6-3 overall, 3-2-3 Big 12) will play No. 5 seed Texas Tech (10-3-5 overall, 3-2-3 Big 12) at 2 p.m. CT at the Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Mo.

SOONER NOTEBOOK: WEEK 12

1. CONFERENCE REMATCH
No. 4 seed OU will open the 2015 Big 12 Soccer Championship on Wednesday afternoon, facing No. 5 seed Texas Tech. In the meeting between the two squads on Sept. 25, the Sooners and then-No. 15 Red Raiders played to a scoreless double overtime draw in Norman. Despite being down a player following an ejection, the Sooners held the Red Raiders scoreless over the last 40:20 of the match.

2. TOURNEY TIME
After finishing as the runner-up at last year's Big 12 Championship, the Sooners are back in action this week with a shot at the program's first-ever conference title. This marks OU's 10th conference tournament appearance all-time and its third under head coach Matt Potter. Wednesday will be the first time that the Sooners will meet the Red Raiders in postseason competition.

3. CONTINUING MOMENTUM
The Sooners enter Wednesday's match looking to continue their recent momentum. Over their last three games, the Sooners have gotten back to their winning ways, posting a 2-0-1 record. OU will look to build off its contest against Oklahoma State in which it secured its first Bedlam sweep and undefeated home record in program history (6-0-2).

4. DEFENSIVE SUCCESS
Defensively, OU is second in the Big 12 in goals against average (0.75), tied for second in shutouts (eight) and tied for third in goals allowed (15). In conference games, the Sooners are tied for first in shutouts (four), second in goals against average (0.46) and tied for second in goals allowed (four). OU's 0.75 goals against average mark is on pace for the best in program history.

5. AWARD ROUND-UP
Oklahoma captured a trio of weekly and postseason honors this week. Junior defender Rachel Ressler and freshman forward/midfielder Kaylee Dao were placed on the All-Big 12 Second Team and Big 12 All-Freshman Team, respectively, while Paige Welch was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week after recording the game-winning goal against Oklahoma State last weekend.

SCOUTING REPORT

TEXAS TECH
• Friday marks the 20th time OU and Texas Tech will meet. The Red Raiders lead the series, 10-7-2. In the first meeting this season on Sept. 25 in Norman, the two squads played to a 0-0 draw.

• TTU enters the Big 12 Championship as the No. 5 seed with a 3-2-3 conference record and a 10-3-5 overall mark. OU and Texas Tech were tied in the final regular season standings, with the Sooners earning the higher seed due to goal differential.

• Senior Janine Beckie was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season on Monday, while senior Alli Murphy was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team.

• TTU statistical leaders: Janine Beckie (10 G, 3 A, 23 PTS), Alli Murphy (3 G, 5 A, 11 PTS), Lauren Watson (77 SV, 0.72 GAA, 13 GA)

UP NEXT

If the OU wins, it will advance at the Big 12 Championship to play the winner of the West Virginia/Oklahoma State contest at 5:30 p.m. CT on Friday, Nov. 6.