Women's Soccer | 10/9/2014 3:54:00 PM
Live Stats vs. Northwestern State
Live Stats vs. Stephen F. Austin | Live Video vs. Stephen F. Austin
ABILENE - Abilene Christian soccer once again has a chance to take down the Southland Conference's first-place team at home this weekend when the Wildcats play host to undefeated Stephen F. Austin Sunday at Shotwell Stadium for Pink Day.
The match kicks off at 1:30 p.m. and admission is free.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and to honor those affected by the disease the Wildcats will don pink warm-up tops in addition to wearing pink ribbons, tape and socks as part of their uniform.
Additionally, the team will accompanied onto the field by the Abilene Girls Soccer Club '04, and be joined on the pitch during lineups by several friends who are cancer survivors plus guest faculty coaches Marcia Straughn, John Willis and Scott Perkins.
Friday's faculty/staff coaches are Lisa Wiggins and
Ray Garvin.
Each of the Wildcats' guests will be recognized during pregame ceremonies.
The Ladyjacks will arrive in the Key City following their Friday night match at McNeese State and enter the weekend on a seven-match unbeaten streak (8-2-1 / 4-0 SLC). SFA hasn't lost since dropping a 4-2 decision to Arkansas on Aug. 31 and over the past two weeks have defeated Northwestern State (W, 4-0), Lamar (W, 2-1), Houston Baptist (W, 2-0) and Sam Houston State (W, 2-1).
The Wildcats (6-6-1, 3-1-1 SLC) played just once last weekend and registered a 2-2 tie at Central Arkansas for their first draw of the season. The Bears grabbed the match's first lead in the 24th minute, but the Wildcats knotted the contest 12 minutes later on a strike by
Leslie Snider and went into halftime tied at 1-1.
UCA again went ahead by one in the 75th minute, but that lead lasted all of three minutes after
Taylor Brown redirected a shot taken by
Chantal Kinsey past goalkeeper Anna Hughes.
As a result of the deadlock and SFA's two victories, the Ladyjacks climbed into sole possession of first place with 12 points. The Wildcats, however, are close behind with 10 points followed by former leader Southeastern Louisiana, Nicholls and Sam Houston State (9 points).
Friday's opponent, the Lady Demons of Northwestern State, are the last remaining winless team in the conference at 0-4-1 and are 3-9-1 overall.
Their match with the Wildcats kicks off at noon.
ACU split their weekend series against these schools last season. The Wildcats held on for a 1-0 win vs. the Lady Demons with sophomore goalkeeper
Kelsey Dombrowski making eight saves and forward
Natalie Throneberry booting the game-winner in the 63rd minute.
SFA prevented the Wildcats' weekend sweep with a 2-0 win, receiving goals in the seventh and 57th minutes from Megan Dunnigan and Megan Wasiak. Lacey Lee and Morgan Glick combined for four saves in the shutout.
The Ladyjacks went on to win last year's regular-season championship for the third-consecutive season at 10-1-1, but the automatic NCAA bid went to tournament winner Southeastern Louisiana.
SFA is currently tied with Nicholls for the second-most goals in the Southland Conference this fall with 27, and its goalkeepers have posted a 0.80 goals-against average, which is second only to Southeastern Louisiana's 0.69.
Leading SFA's offense are Chelsea Raymond (14 points), Zuri Prince (14 points) and Hannah Barker (13 points). Prince is second to SLU's Katie Noonan with six assists, and Glick - who has five of SFA's six shutouts - is second in the SLC with an 0.76 GAA and .848 save percentage.
ACU's goalkeepers have recorded the most saves in the conference with 82 - 44 of those made by
Sydney Newton.
Offensively, ACU's
Baylee Mitchell is tied for fifth with 14 points and tied for second with seven goals (four game-winners). Throneberry,
Chloe Fifer and
Tiffany Ysassi, meanwhile, are tied for 10th with three assists.
