ABILENE – The ACU soccer team is on the road again this weekend for a pair of Southland Conference matchups as it turns the page to the back half of the schedule. The Wildcats (7-3, 2-1 Southland) will stop in Conway, Ark. on Friday, Sept. 28 for a 7 p.m. date with the Bears of the University of Central Arkansas. ACU then heads south to Natchitoches, La. for a matchup with the Demons of Northwestern State University on Sunday, Sept. 30. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. to cap the month of September.
THE SERIES… ACU leads an incredibly close series with UCA, as the teams get set to meet for the sixth time. The Wildcats lead 2-1-2 all-time, and no match has been decided by more than one goal. The Bears got the best of ACU last season in Abilene, 2-1, and the teams tied 0-0 in 2016 in Conway. The last ACU victory came in 2015, in Abilene, by a score of 1-0. On the other side, the Wildcats have dominated Northwestern State since joining the Southland in 2013. ACU leads the series 4-1, with the four wins coming by a combined score of 12-2. The lone loss was in Natchitoches in 2016, with the Demons winning 2-1 in overtime.
A PEEK IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR… The Wildcats moved to 5-0 at Elmer Gray Stadium after a pair of 1-0 victories over Southeastern Louisiana and Nicholls last weekend in Abilene. Freshman
Ashley Stamps scored her second career goal in the 81st minute to put away SLU, and senior
Dylan Owens scored her fourth goal of the season in the 56th minute to top Nicholls. ACU held a staggering 49-16 advantage in shots over the weekend, and have outshot their Southland opponents 74-22 in the three matches.
WASH, RINSE, REPEAT… Through 10 games this season, ACU is forming a habit of winning via the shutout. The team has tallied six shutouts in 2018, and is one away from matching its Division-I record of seven, set in 2013; that year marked the first at the DI level for the program. More specifically, the Wildcats have played in games that end by a score of 1-0. ACU is 4-2 in such games, including both matches this past weekend.
DEFENSIVE RECOGNITION… Junior
Michelle Mulrooney and sophomore
Erin Smith were recognized by the Southland Conference this week, earning Player of the Week and honorable mention honors. Mulrooney was named Defensive Player of the Week after guiding a backline that posted two shutouts at home. SLU and Nicholls combined for just five shots on frame in 180 minutes. Smith earned honorable mention for Goalkeeper of the Week, after tallying her first two complete shutouts of 2018. Smith recorded five saves against the Lions, and did not face a shot on goal against Nicholls.
NATIONAL RANKS… ACU is ranked nationally in multiple categories this season. Defensively, the team ranks 13th in save percentage (88.9%), 26th in shutout percentage (60.0%), and 30th in goals against average (0.58). Offensively, the Wildcats rank 26th nationally in shots per game (17.9) and 40th in shots on goal per game (7.9).
SEVEN SCORE AND 10 GAMES AGO… Seven different Wildcats have scored at least one goal through the first 10 games this season. Owens leads the way with four, and now ranks second in school history in career goals with 22.
Christina Arteaga has matched Owens with nine points for the team lead, thanks to three goals and a team-best three assists. Stamps has scored twice, while
Samantha Vestal,
Caity Acosta,
Sophie Standifer, and
Emily Heidman have each scored one time.
SCOUTING CENTRAL ARKANSAS… The Bears (6-3-1, 1-1 Southland) look to bounce back after a 3-1 loss to Lamar last weekend. The loss snapped a four-match winning streak, that included victories over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Oral Roberts, Arkansas State, and Sam Houston State. Connie Awuka-Darkoh leads the squad with seven goals this season, while Camille Bassett has scored five times. Lauren Mercuri has tallied 31 saves in 884 minutes in goal.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN STATE… The Demons (6-5, 0-3 Southland) hosts Incarnate Word on Friday, Sept. 28 looking to snap a two-match losing streak in the process. All five losses this season have come in the shutout variety, and the team is 6-0 when they score at least one goal. April Trowbridge leads NSU with 10 goals this season, while Kayla Bomben has started 10 of the 11 matches in goal, recording 19 saves.
