Soccer Watch
By Nick Barbaro, Fri., Nov. 6, 2015
UT Longhhorn goalkeeper Abby Smith got the 30th shutout of her career, breaking Dianna Pfenninger's school career record, as the Horns blanked Montana, 3-0, in Friday's regular season finale. They earned the No. 3 seed in this week's Big 12 conference tournament in Kansas City; they're playing Kansas in the first round as we go to press Wednesday. If they keep winning, they'll play at 8pm Friday, and the final at 3pm Sunday, streaming live at www.big12sports.com... The honors keep piling up for Smith; she's been selected as one of 10 national finalists for the 2015 Senior CLASS Award. Vote for her (and middle blocker Molly McCage in volleyball) daily through Nov. 23. www.seniorclassaward.com.
The St. Edward's men, ranked 13th in the country, host the Heartland Conference tournament this week at their campus on South Congress, playing archrival St. Mary's at 1:30pm Thursday, with the final at 1:30pm Sat., Nov. 7. The Hilltopper women's conference tourney is at Dallas Baptist, where the Hilltoppers play Lubbock Christian at 11am Friday, with the final at 1pm Sunday. All those games will be live-streamed; see links at athletics.stedwards.edu.
Manchester City and Real Madrid were the big winners in European Champions League play this week, clinching spots in the final 16, with two games left in the group stage.
Ronaldo, a documentary on Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, plays for one night only, Mon., Nov. 9, at Alamo Lakeline and Slaughter.
True to form, U.S. Senate Republicans last week blocked a resolution urging FIFA, the international soccer governing body, to pay its female soccer players the same as their male counterparts.
Countdown: The U.S. men open their World Cup 2018 qualifying campaign next Friday, Nov. 13, hosting St. Vincent and the Grenadines in St. Louis.
