Oct. 28, 2005

Box Score

Tulsa, Okla. - Freshman Emiko Schwab headed in a corner kick by Shoko Mikami in just the second minute of the game and that was all that was needed as Memphis defeated Tulsa 1-0. With the win, the Tigers set a school record for wins in a season with their 12th victory of the year, surpassing the previous record of 11 set last year and in 1997. The Tigers are also guaranteed a winning record on the road for the first time in program history.

At the 1:52 mark, Memphis was awarded a corner kick on the right side. Mikami took the kick and Schwab headed it into the right side of the net for her third goal of the year and a 1-0 Memphis lead. The Golden Hurricane then sat back in a mostly defensive formation for most of the first half and only got off one shot in the first half but also held Memphis to just two shots after the goal.

In the second half, the Tigers outshot Tulsa 6-3 but was unable to generate any more scoring chances, as they put only two more shots on the goal the entire game after the goal. Tulsa did not put any shots on goal as Isabel Briones did not need to make any saves in recording her sixth shutout of the year in goal for the Tigers. The Tigers outshot Tulsa 9-4 in the game.

"I thought it was good to get a win on the road but it was otherwise an average performance from us," said Memphis coach Brooks Monaghan. "I felt like we did enough to win the game but didn't have a great game. The first half, we could have put them away a little bit more but we were a little bit lackadaisical at times tonight. But we are very happy with the win. We will have our hands full on Sunday with SMU and we are looking forward to the challenge."

With the win and UAB's 4-0 loss to SMU on Friday, Memphis clinched at least fifth place and the #5 seed in the upcoming Conference USA Tournament. With a win over SMU on Sunday, the Tigers, who are currently in fourth place, would finish with the #2 seed and play either Houston, East Carolina, or Tulsa in the quarterfinals. With a loss to the Mustangs, Memphis would finish in either fourth or fifth place and would play either Rice or UTEP in the first round.

Postgame Notes: With her one assist tonight, Mikami increased her point total to 37, which is now just four shy of breaking the school record for points ... She also increased her lead in the C-USA point race to four points over Kimber Bailey of SMU, who did not tally a point tonight ... Mikami's 37 leads Bailey's 33 with one game to play. Mikami is now tied for the league lead in goals (14) with UTEP's Melissa Abraham, and remains tied with UTEP's Kia Sams for the assist lead with nine ... Briones tied the school record for most goalie shutouts in a season with her sixth tonight ... She now co-holds the mark with Natalie Haerens, who set it last year ... Schwab now has goals in back-to-back games, marking the sixth time this year that a Tiger player has accomplished that feat ... Already guaranteed of having a winning record on the road, Memphis can set a record for most road wins with a win over SMU on Sunday. The record is four, set in 2002 and last year and tied with tonight's win.