ABILENE – The Abilene Christian soccer team returns home to Elmer Gray Stadium this weekend when it plays host to Central Arkansas and Northwestern State. The Wildcats kick off against the Bears at 7 p.m. on Friday and Sunday at 1 p.m. against the Lady Demons.
Against the Bears: The Wildcats and Bears have matched up four times prior to Friday, resulting in two ACU victories and two double overtime ties. The first meeting between the two teams was in 2013 with the Wildcats beating the Bears 2-1 at the Wildcat Soccer Pitch.
ACU and UCA fought to a 0-0 deadlock in double overtime, last season as the Wildcats served the defending Southland Conference champions their lone blemish on a 10-0-1 season.
Against the Lady Demons: ACU and NSU have hit the pitch four previous times starting in 2013 and ACU holds a 3-1 series advantage. In their 2014 match up at Shotwell Stadium, the Wildcats controlled the game in beating the Lady Demons, 3-0. Senior
Megan Baer scored one of ACU's three goals that afternoon, heading the ball in from 6-yards out.
The last meeting between the two teams took place Sept. 30, 2016 at Demon Soccer Complex, where the Lady Demons beat the Wildcats 2-1 in overtime. Natalie Thornberry scored off of a
Dylan Owens cross early in the contest but NSU found a way to even the score in the first half. A header off of a free kick in overtime gave the Lady Demons their first win over ACU.
Coach's Quote:
"We will have our work cut out for us this weekend with Central Arkansas and Northwestern State," head coach
Casey Wilson said. "They are two tough programs and we will have to make sure we focus on the details of our game this weekend in order to come out with good results."
Follow Along: Can't make it Abilene this weekend follow along Friday's game stats
here or watch it live
here, Sunday's game can be viewed
here or you can follow live stats
here.
Tickets: Tickets for the matchup can be purchased through
ACUSports.com or at the gate on game day. Admission for adults 14 and older is $5, children 2-14 is $3 ACU students with a valid ACU ID are free of charge.
Quick Kicks:
- Junior Dylan Owens scored the game winner against UTEP in overtime, giving ACU its first victory of the season
- Sophomore Shay Johnson, freshman Christina Arteaga, and Owens lead the team with seven points each
- Freshman Erin Smith has recorded 34 saves in seven games
- Senior Megan Baer and sophomore Samantha Vestal lead the Wildcats with three assists each
- Arteaga leads the team with 828 minutes played and 38 shots, 20 on goal
- 26 Wildcats have seen action on the pitch this season
- ACU has 15 returners and 15 newcomers on the 2017 roster
- This is head coach Casey Wilson's 11th year with the team. He is the architect and only head coach in program history. He also is one of 23 NCAA DI women's soccer coaches still with the team that they founded.
