Sports
Texas Tech, Pepperdine Meet in Battle of Unbeatens and Hermann Watch List Forwards
Texas Tech men's soccer hosts Pepperdine Thursday night at the John Walker Soccer Complex in a matchup of two unbeaten teams, both sitting at 2-0-1 and receiving votes in the NCAA United Soccer Coaches poll. The Red Raiders come in with real momentum.
The Red Raiders come in with real momentum. Sunday's home opener against Boise State drew a record crowd, and Tech won 2-0 while controlling 63 percent of possession, snapping the Broncos' 17-match unbeaten streak. Head coach Tom Stone called Pepperdine "the best team we've played so far," adding that both programs are younger than usual this year and both like to play through possession, even if their systems differ.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. TopDrawerSoccer has Tech ranked No. 16 nationally, and both squads feature forwards on the Hermann Trophy watch list, the sport's top individual award. Stone noted that Pepperdine's head coach is experienced, and that the contrasting systems should make for an interesting tactical matchup despite the shared style preferences.
For fans who showed up in record numbers last Sunday, Thursday is a chance to see if that crowd and that performance were a one-time spike or the start of something bigger for this Red Raider squad.
Common questions
How did Texas Tech look in their last game before facing Pepperdine?
- Tech beat Boise State 2-0 in front of a record home crowd, controlling 63 percent of possession and snapping the Broncos' 17-match unbeaten streak. Head coach Tom Stone still called Pepperdine the best team the Red Raiders have faced so far this season.
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