ABILENE – The ACU soccer team welcomes the Vaqueros of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) for a non-conference match at Elmer Gray Stadium on Friday, Aug. 24, before heading back out on the road on Sunday, Aug. 26. The Wildcats will travel to Lubbock for a date with the Texas Tech Red Raiders, their second Big 12 opponent of the season. The Wildcats look to build a winning streak in the early portion of the season after getting back to .500 with a 1-0, double-overtime win against UTEP on Aug. 19.
"I would put [UTRGV] in the same relm as UTEP and some of the other schools we've played in the past," said head coach
Casey Wilson. "I see them as being a physical team that can keep the ball, and they aren't going to turn the ball over much. So I think it's going to be a good game. They've played a lot of teams in our conference, and a lot of them have been battles, so I expect it to be a good game."
THE SERIES... ACU and UTRGV will match up for just the second time in their histories, and the first time in four years. The lone game was played back in Sept. 2014 in San Antonio, with the Wildcats winning easily, 5-1. At the time, UTRGV was still named the University of Texas-Pan American, and would eventually change their name in August 2015 after merging with the University of Texas at Brownsville. Meanwhile, ACU and Texas Tech will meet for the third time, with the Red Raiders taking both games in Lubbock in 2014 and 2016. TTU earned 2-0 and 3-1 wins over the Wildcats, with the lone ACU goal scored by
Leslie Snider.
WILD WIN IN HOME OPENER... The Wildcats won a wild match Sunday night in their home opener against the UTEP Miners. The match was scoreless through regulation and the first overtime, but 2:31 into the second OT period, ACU ended it. Freshman midfielder
Ashley Stamps picked the ball away from UTEP, and dropped the ball behind the defense. Sophomore
Christina Arteaga retrieved the ball at the edge of the 18-yard box, dribbled off her defender to fire a left-footed blast for the game-winner. Arteaga's six shots led the way for ACU, while Stamps and
Brittney Harris tied
Shay Johnson for second on the Wildcats with three shots each.
HONORABLE MENTIONS... After a 1-1 opening week of the season, the Southland Conference announced their Players of the Week, and Arteaga and goalkeeper
Rachel Johnson earned honorable mentions. Arteaga took seven shots for the week, and scored the lone ACU goal, her second game-winner of her career, and the eighth overall. Johnson was stellar in goal, earning her second career shutout, and tallied seven saves in the process.
THE REST IS STILL UNWRITTEN... Senior
Dylan Owens has the rest of her senior season to rewrite the record books at ACU. Entering the 2018 campaign, Owens ranked in the top seven in four different categories all-time in Abilene Christian history. The Willard, Mo. native is second all-time in game-winning goals with 9, ranks fourth in shots on goal (85), and is tied for fourth with
Krysta Grimm (2007-10) with 18 career goals. Her 45 career points rank seventh in ACU history as well.
SCOUTING THE VAQUEROS… UTRGV split their opening matches at their host tournament in Edinburg, earning a 4-1 win over Texas Southern and dropping a 1-0 decision to Oral Roberts. The Vaqueros are efficient so far, with 17 of their 28 shot attempts placed on goal. Four different players have scored on the season, but the shot leader is Elina Seppala with seven. Three of the four goals have been assisted through the first two matches. UTRGV was picked to finish fifth in the preseason Western Athletic Conference (WAC) coaches' poll.
SCOUTING THE RED RAIDERS… Texas Tech will look to ride the momentum from an opening weekend that featured two shutouts, including one over No. 18 Pepperdine. The Red Raiders will head west to San Diego State Friday before hosting ACU. Sophomore goalkeeper Marissa Zucchetto was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week after posting a pair of shutouts to open the season. 2018 marks the third straight year TTU opened 2-0.
