It's The Biggest Weekend Ever for Scorpion Athletics
Six Competitions Scheduled Within 32 Hours

Posted October 18, 2007

A conference championship waiting to be won and the first NCAA Division I university ever to visit Brownsville highlight the final regular-season competitions for the Scorpion soccer and volleyball teams. The Scorpion volleyball, men's soccer, and women's soccer teams each will be playing twice Friday and Saturday, October 19 and 20.

 

It's a good time for the community to come out and support the Scorpions for the last time at home in 2007. The men's soccer team has a chance to host a playoff game, but will not know until October 29.

 

Scorpion Volleyball vs. Houston Baptist University, 11 a.m. Saturday, October 20;
vs. Southwestern Assemblies of God University, 2 p.m. Saturday, October 20;
Manuel Garza B. Gymnasium

The Scorpion volleyball team, boasting a 22-5 record and a No. 23 ranking by the NAIA, has already wrapped up the Red River Athletic Conference South Zone championship and has one conference game remaining against SAGU Saturday afternoon.

 

But before the SAGU match, the Scorpions will host a team it has never defeated since joining the NAIA in 2006 -- Houston Baptist University. The Huskies jumped from the NAIA to NCAA Division I this season.

 

HBU is special to the Scorpions. In their first year in the NAIA in 2006, the Scorpions started the season slowly, going 6-9. They then reeled off 21 victories in their last 24 matches to finish 27-12. In that 21-3 streak, all three of their losses were to HBU.

 

The Huskies defeated the Scorpions four times in volleyball in 2006:

• Opening match of the season, South Padre Island Tournament, August 25: 3-1;

• Regular season meeting, HBU's home court, October 14: 3-0;

• RRAC Tournament Championship, Waxhachie, November 11: 3-0; and

• NAIA Region VI semifinals, HBU's home court, November 17, 3-1.

UTB/TSC finished the RRAC with an 11-1 record, with its only loss coming to HBU.

 

The two teams kept their competitions going in 2007, despite HBU going to NCAA Division I. They agreed to meet twice this year. The two teams met September 22 in Houston, with HBU winning, 3-2.

 

That has been the Scorpions' only loss in its last 13 matches. Since that meeting, the Scorpions have reeled off eight straight wins over NAIA and NCAA Division II opponents.

 

Thus, the match holds a special incentive because, after five losses to HBU, the Saturday meeting is the first time the two teams will meet in the small and noisy Manuel Garza B. Gymnasium. It's also the first time an NCAA Division I team has ever played a collegiate competition in Brownsville.

 

Scorpion Men's Soccer vs. Texas College, 3 p.m. Friday, October 19; vs. Southwestern Assemblies of God University, 7 p.m. Saturday, October 20; Morningside Park

 

In its first year of intercollegiate soccer on campus, the Scorpion men's soccer team can clinch a league championship. UTB/TSC is 9-4-1 overall and 5-0 in the RRAC, and leads Texas Wesleyan (4-1-1) by one and one-half games.

 

The Scorpions finish the regular season with two games at home Friday and Saturday, needing only one win to clinch the title outright, quite an accomplishment for a program in its first year.

 

The Scorpions host defending league champ Texas College (3-2-1) at 3 p.m. Friday and would love to celebrate a league title at Morningside Park.

 

If the Scorpions stumble against Texas College, they could still clinch the title against Southwestern Assemblies of God (1-14-1, 1-4-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday.

 

The soccer atmosphere has been outstanding for the evening games. At the last Scorpion game October 13, two groups of tailgaters -- numbering about 150 -- got together outside the fence at Morningside and saw the game through the fence. A drumline led by the brother of Scorpion Rogelio "Chino" Perez celebrates along.

 

Scorpion Women's Soccer vs. Texas College, 1 p.m. Friday, October 19; vs. Southwestern Assemblies of God University, 5 p.m. Saturday, October 20; Morningside Park

 

Not to be forgotten is the Scorpion women's team, which can clinch a winning record and possibly 10 wins in its first season. UTB/TSC is 8-6 overall and 3-2 in RRAC play.

 

The Scorpions host Texas College (5-6-3, 3-2-1) at 1 p.m. Friday and Southwestern Assemblies of God (2-14, 0-6) at 5 p.m. Saturday.

 

UTB/TSC has the league's leading scorer in Lena Candia, who has 15 goals this season.

 

Looking Ahead to the Postseason

 

The Red River Athletic Conference men's and women's soccer tournament is scheduled in Fort Worth October 25-27. Six teams advance from each group.

 

The Scorpion women will be seeded anywhere between third and fifth in the conference tournament, depending on the outcome of this weekend's games. The Scorpion men are hopeful to retain the #1 seed.

 

After the conference tournament and the Sooner Athletic Conference tournament on the same weekend, the regional rankings will be released and the top six seeds advance to the Region VI Tournament, and the winner there advances to nationals.

 

In volleyball, the Scorpions are likely to be the #1 seed at the RRAC Tournament in Fort Worth November 9-10, and at the Region VI Tournament in Lubbock November 16-17. The regional winner advances to nationals.