ABILENE – The ACU soccer team (7-2-1, 3-0 SLC) opens the October slate with a pair of home games at Elmer Gray Stadium this weekend after sweeping its road trip in Louisiana. The Wildcats host the Lady Demons of Northwestern State on Friday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. before concluding their weekend with the Sugar Bears of Central Arkansas on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 1 p.m.
FOLLOW THE GAMES
- ACU vs. Northwestern State: Friday, Oct. 4 – 7 p.m. (
Live Stats/
Live Video)
- ACU vs. Central Arkansas: Sunday, Oct. 6 – 1 p.m. (
Live Stats/
Live Video)
SERIES HISTORY
- ACU owns a 5-1 advantage all-time with Northwestern State, with the Wildcats winning each of the last two matchups. ACU earned a 3-0 win in Natchitoches, La. in 2018, but fell in 2016 at NSU. ACU owns a 3-0 record at home against the Lady Demons, winning the games by a total margin of 11-2.
- ACU owns a slight 3-2-2 lead in the series with Central Arkansas, and the two teams have played in some great games. The Wildcats fell in Conway, Ark. last season 2-1, but got its revenge at the Southland Conference Tournament, winning 1-0 in the semifinal game. ACU owns a 2-1 edge in home games against the Sugar Bears.
ACU STORYLINES
- The Wildcats are coming off a weekend road sweep against Nicholls and Southeastern Louisiana, combining to win 9-0 in the two victories.
- ACU is 3-0 to start conference play for the first time since 2016, and has not lost since Sept. 6 against Texas Tech. Sandwiched in that time is a tie with #22 Baylor at home.
- ACU won 8-0 at Nicholls, setting a new Division I program record for goals in a single game. The overall program record is 14 goals, when the team did so against Southwest in its first season in 2007.
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Emily Heidman earned Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week after scoring three goals in the win over Nicholls. It was the first hat trick for an ACU player in its Division I era, and the first since
Andrea Carpenter did so in 2010.
- ACU took 36 shots against Nicholls, marking the second consecutive game with that number. It is the third-highest total in program history, and the second-most since joining Division I.
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Samantha Vestal scored a pair of goals in the game, and now ranks third on the team with three this season.
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Christina Arteaga's five goals are tied with freshman
Natalie Jones for the team lead, and the two also lead the team with four assists apiece.
- ACU outshot Nicholls 18-2 in each half, leading 36-4 in that category for the game. The four total shots faced is the second-fewest in ACU's Division I history.
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Rachel Johnson earned Honorable Mention Goalkeeper of the Week after posting the 11th and 12th shutouts of her career.
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Brooke Lenz also earned Honorable Mention Defensive Player of the Week after guiding a defense that allowed just 13 shot attempts all weekend.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN STATE (5-6, 2-1 SLC)
- The Lady Demons are coming off a weekend home split against Lamar (W, 2-1) and McNeese (L, 2-1), with the loss to the Cowgirls snapping a five-game winning streak.
- Olivia Draguicevich leads the team with four goals despite only starting six times.
- Kayla Bomben and Acelya Aydogmus have split time in net for NSU, combining for 36 saves.
SCOUTING CENTRAL ARKANSAS (1-8-1, 0-3 SLC)
- The Sugar Bears are looking to snap a four-game losing streak this weekend after falling to McNeese and Lamar last weekend in Conway.
- All three losses in the Southland have been one-score games for UCA.
- The team has 17 underclassmen after graduating so many from the team that won the regular season title a season ago.
