ABILENE – The ACU soccer team returns to Elmer Gray Stadium for the first of three consecutive home matches over the next two weeks. The Wildcats (8-4, 3-2 Southland) will host the Islanders of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Friday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. for their annual "Go Pink Game." The team will wear "Go Pink" shirts during warmups courtesy of Hendrick Women Services, and will honor Breast Cancer Awareness by wearing pink accessories. ACU will recognize breast cancer survivors and those currently battling at halftime of the match. All fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game.
THE SERIES… ACU leads the series with A&M-Corpus Christi 3-1-1, and has not lost since 2014. The teams tied in 2015, 1-1, but the Wildcats have picked up two straight wins since, including a 2-1 win in Corpus Christi last season. In the three wins against the Islanders, ACU has scored eight goals, including the only shutout of the series two seasons ago, 4-0.
ERASING DEMONS… After falling to the Central Arkansas Bears last Friday, ACU erased the Northwestern State Demons to earn a split on the weekend. The win was monumental for the team; the Wildcats earned their seventh shutout of the season (3-0), matching the Division I program record set in 2013.
Alyssia Anuat,
Shay Johnson, and
Christina Arteaga scored the three goals for ACU, while
Rachel Johnson captured her fourth shutout of 2018.
HOME SWEET HOME… Elmer Gray Stadium has been a sweet place to play for the Wildcats this season, as the team owns a perfect 5-0 record at the Friendly Confines. Four of the five wins have come via the shutout, including victories over UTEP, UTRGV, Southeastern Louisiana, and Nicholls. New Mexico State is the only team to score on ACU in Abilene, when the Wildcats won 3-2 on Sept. 2. The team has four matches remaining in their home park, including three straight from Oct. 5-14. Senior Night is scheduled for Oct. 26 against Incarnate Word. ACU's best home record came back in 2011, as a member of NCAA Division II and the Lone Star Conference, when the squad went 10-1-1 in Abilene.
YOUTH MOVEMENT… The 2018 season has seen plenty of Wildcats contribute to their success, including a plethora of young talent for head coach
Casey Wilson. Of the 10 players to score goals this season, five are either freshmen or sophomores. Freshman
Ashley Stamps ranks second on the team in scoring (2 goals) and shot attempts (20). Classmate
Alyssia Anuat has started all 12 matches and has totaled three points.
Laura Mauldin and
Emily Heidman have each scored in their rookie campaign as well. The sophomore class features reigning Southland Freshman of the Year
Christina Arteaga, who leads the team in goals (4), assists (4), and shot attempts (46).
Brittney Harris has contributed off the bench in all 12 matches, while
Erin Smith has started five matches in net, going 3-2 on the season with 16 saves.
SCOUTING TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI… The Islanders (5-3-2, 2-1-1 Southland) are coming off a split a week ago against Southeastern Louisiana (L, 2-1) and Nicholls (W, 2-1). The win over the Colonels snapped a two-match winless streak that featured a scoreless tie with Stephen F. Austin. The Islanders are led by Addison Urbanus, Mariah Ramon, and Abby Deakin, who have each tallied two goals. Kyleigh Hall has made eight starts in goal, tallying a 3-2-1 record with 28 saves.
