Tag: Victoria Vazquez

Women’s soccer falls short in RRAC quarterfinals

The OLLU women’s soccer team finished the season with a 1-0 defeat against LSU-Shreveport (LSUS) on Friday. The Saints were the No. 6 seed, and the Lady Pilots were the third seed in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) Tournament.

Head Coach Victoria Vazquez said, “We lost to a very good LSU-Shreveport team. It’s tough to end the season, but I want to commend the team on a united season. They have been a great group of players and individuals. We want to recognize the seniors for the work they have put into the program. They have been dedicated and have been great role models to our underclassmen.”

Women’s soccer ties Louisiana Christian University

The OLLU women’s soccer team tied the conference match on Oct. 21 against the Louisiana Christian University (LCU) Wildcats. The 1-1 draw moves the Saints’ record to 7-4-2 on the year and 6-3-2 in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC), while LCU moves to 9-3-1 and 7-2-1 in conference play.

Both teams took one shot apiece in the first 20 minutes, with Zoi Arkirvaki netting the Wildcats’ lone tally in the 22nd minute. Sara Garza would put the Saints on the board off a Jaylin Seto corner kick four minutes into the second half.

The Saints and Wildcats both had chances to take the lead late, with OLLU’s Allison Kostoch and LCU’s Alicia Gurrusquieta missing shots off the crossbar. Saints goalie Tess Pitcher and Wildcats keeper Jaycee Woods would save further chances in the final minutes.

“We went down a goal early, but there was a belief amongst everyone that we would come back,” Head Coach Victoria Vazquez said. “We found a breakthrough with a set piece and were able to capitalize. We played well and it was an exhilarating game.”

Women’s soccer begins with 3-0 loss to OCU

The OLLU women’s soccer team opened the 2023 season by losing 3-0 to Oklahoma City University (OCU) on Saturday.

Head Coach Victoria Vazquez said, “This was a tough loss, especially considering our previous performance against Texas A&M International University. We seemed disconnected today, but we know we’ll learn and put our best foot forward for our next match. We have a tough match against the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma on Monday that we will already start preparing for.”

OLLU welcomes alumna as new women’s soccer head coach

OLLU has hired former Saints soccer player Victoria Vazquez as Head Coach for the women’s soccer program.

Vazquez commented, “I would like to begin by thanking the hiring committee for selecting me, and I would like to extend a special thank you to Athletic Director Shane Hurley for his guidance and belief in me. As I find myself on campus, everyone has been so inviting and welcoming. I thoroughly enjoyed my time here as a student-athlete, and now I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the program and university once more. Wings up!”

Vazquez played for the Saints from 2010-2013 and was part of the team that won the university’s first Red River Athletic Conference Regular Season and Tournament titles in 2013. Her team finished in third in 2010 and was the postseason finalists, second in 2011 and finished as tournament semifinalists and fifth in 2012 also as semifinalists. 

Vazquez was an All-Conference winner in 2013, and she received Offensive Player of the Week honors once in 2012 and twice in 2013. She also won Defensive Player of the Week honors in 2013. In addition, Vazquez was a four-time RRAC Scholar-Athlete and a two-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete. She holds the OLLU record for most assists in a season with 10 from 2013 and the most assists in a game with three against Schreiner University on Sept. 6, 2013 and against Bacone College on Oct. 3, 2013.

The Helotes, Texas, native comes to OLLU from her alma mater, Sandra Day O’Connor High School, where she has been the girls’ head coach since 2022. Her team marked a 12-3-1 record and finished third in the district. She coached the Northside Independent School District’s (NISD) Offensive Player of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year. Three All-District First Team, three Second Team winners, and three Honorable Mention players were also under her tutelage.

Athletic Director Shane Hurley said, “I am very happy to welcome Victoria Vazquez as our Women’s Soccer Head Coach. She is highly motivated, professional and will be an outstanding model of OLLU’s core values. As a player, she was top-notch, and I’m excited to see her bring collegiate coaching experiences from Wayland Baptist and Murray State College back to OLLU and to our women’s soccer program. As she spent her last year coaching at NISD’s O’Connor High School, I know she will be able to leverage her professional experiences and relationships there and beyond to benefit us.

Vazquez earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and Philosophy and a Master of Science in Sports Management from Texas Woman’s University. She is pursuing a PhD in Management from Wayland Baptist University.

Vazquez will join second-year Assistant Coach Max Cruz. The Saints finished the 2022 season in third place and were postseason semifinalists. The team marked an 8-4-7 overall record and 5-1-5 in conference. The team begins its 16th season in late August with a pair of scrimmages and then kicks off the official schedule on Sept. 4 at Oklahoma City University.

The Saints will broadcast home matches on the OLLU Saints Network and will feature live-stats. Links will be available on the women’s soccer schedule page. 

General admission charge for all home matches is $10; free admission is available for OLLU faculty, staff and students. To inquire about joining the OLLU Halo Club and receive free admission, go here.