The UTEP women’s soccer team will be on the road once again this weekend when they visit Louisiana Tech and Southern Miss on Friday, Oct. 16. and Saturday, Oct. 17, respectively. These will be the last road games of the regular season for head coach Kevin Cross and his Miners, before finishing with three straight at University Field.

“We look at being on the road as an opportunity. Our girls get extra sleep, great meals and have lots of fun together,” Cross said. “They are just focused on one thing on the road, winning the soccer game.”

UTEP is coming off a win at the University of Texas at San Antonio, making it three straight games without a defeat and first after two hard-fought ties at home.

The Miners created danger on the Roadrunners’ goal from the start. Just 44 seconds into the game, senior forward Angela Cutaia sent a ball just over the home team’s crossbar in a sign of things to come. UTEP would have a couple of other chances before finally taking advantage of one.

With the clock showing 23 minutes into the contest, Cutaia dribbled down the left flank with bad intentions. She crossed the ball into the Roadrunner box, where junior midfielder Bri Barreiro found it and headed it past the keeper.

The Miners would not score another goal, but hung on to the result thanks to freshman keeper Alyssa Palacios’ fantastic day under the three posts. The Miner goalkeeper recorded seven saves on the way to her fourth clean sheet.

“It was a very hard-fought win. It was one of the most physical games we have played in,” Cross said. “We had to give everything we had to win against a highly-motivated UTSA squad.”

With a 9-4-2 record, 2-1-2 in conference, the Miners now turn their attention to Louisiana Tech and Southern Miss as they continue to battle for one of the eight spots in the Conference USA tournament, held in Miami in early November.

In Louisiana Tech, UTEP will face one of the top four defenses in the conference. Tech has allowed 15 goals this season, an average of less than a goal per game. Although their 9-7 record in conference may not be as impressive as the Miners, the Lady Techsters are 2-4 in conference and just two points behind UTEP. A win against the Miners would not only mean breaking the two-game losing streak they are currently on, but also a climb up the standings and into the top eight.

Louisiana Tech lost its two last games on the road against Florida International and Florida Atlantic, a road trip the Miners split themselves beating Atlantic and losing to International in late September.

The Lady Techsters will look to crowd their defensive third, leaving very few spaces for the Miners to attack, while looking to send numbers forward in the counter attack.

“(They) are a very difficult team to play against,” Cross said. “They play the toughest defense in the conference. We have to be very focused and play hard as they really battle.”

After their match in Ruston, La., the Miners will travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., for a date with the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.

In Ruston, UTEP will face a similar foe to that of Louisiana Tech. The Golden Eagles are at the very bottom of the Conference USA standings and will look to defend before going forward and attacking.

Southern Miss has only three wins this season, one in conference play, and has been shutout in nine of their last 10 games. Cross and the Miners don’t take their opponents lightly, knowing it will be difficult to score with a lack of space in the final third of the field and the danger of the counter attack.

“Southern Miss has one of the top keepers in conference and a back line that is very athletic,” Cross said. “They are good attacking out of the back. They will also be a tough challenge.”

The Miners will be back home for the final three games of the regular season, but for now they are focused on the road, looking to get three points at a time, as they march towards another Conference USA tournament.

“We will have to play very well to beat two talented squads,” Cross said. “But we will be ready for both teams and take them one at a time.”

Luis Gonzalez may be reached at [email protected].