ABILENE - The ACU soccer team returns to Elmer Gray Stadium for the first time in 2018 to host the Miners of the University of Texas at El Paso on Sunday night. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. to wrap up the opening week of play.
THE SERIES… ACU and UTEP are matching up for the sixth consecutive year. The Wildcats are 1-2-2 vs. the Miners, but every game has been decided by one goal or less. ACU captured its first win against UTEP last fall with a 2-1 result in El Paso.
SCOUTING THE MINERS… UTEP returns 18 letter winners in 2018, and has eight starters back for head coach Kevin Cross. The top three goal scorers are back in the mix in addition to players responsible for 21 of the 27 goals scored a season ago. The Miners went 8-11 in 2017, and return sophomore Vic Bohdan, who was named to the 2018 Conference USA preseason team. UTEP opened the season against Lubbock Christian, winning in dominant fashion, 6-1.
#15 BAYLOR SCORES TWICE IN OPENER… The Wildcats opened the new season in Waco on Thursday, and the No. 15 Baylor Bears scored twice in the second half to win the match, 2-0. ACU held its own against the defending Big 12 Tournament champions, keeping the match scoreless at halftime, and putting pressure on Baylor in the second half as well.
Erin Smith notched four saves in defeat.
ANOTHER LOOK AT THE SOUTHLAND POLL… The Southland Conference released their annual preseason poll, and ACU was picked third this season after a sixth-place finish in 2017. The defending champions from Lamar were picked to win the league, with Stephen F. Austin tabbed to finish second. ACU totaled 182 points in the poll voted on by the Southland coaches.
FOUR NAMED PRESEASON ALL-LEAGUE… Along with Johnson and Arteaga, senior
Dylan Owens and junior
Michelle Mulrooney were tabbed to the preseason All-Southland Team. Owens joined Johnson and Arteaga on the first team, while Mulrooney was listed on the second team. Arteaga is the league's reigning Freshman of the Year, while Owens earned first team honors. Johnson and Mulrooney each earned a 2017 honorable mention.
FORECASTING THE SCHEDULE… ACU will play host to nine matches at Elmer Gray Stadium this season, including six Southland contests. The team is on the road four times in a five-match span in early September, with the lone home contest against New Mexico State on Sept. 2. The team travels to Texas Tech, North Alabama, and Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the non-conference schedule before league play begins on Sept. 21. ACU hosts their Pink Game on Oct. 5 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and Senior Night is scheduled for the season-finale on Oct. 26 against Incarnate Word.
