ABILENE – The Wildcat women's soccer team wraps up its stretch of five out of the first six games on the road this weekend with a trip to Lubbock, Texas and Portales, N.M. for a pair of matches. ACU (3-1) takes on the Big 12's Texas Tech Lady Raiders Friday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. before matching up with former Lone Star Conference foe Eastern New Mexico on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 12 p.m. CT.
FOLLOW THE GAMES
- ACU at Texas Tech: Friday, Sept. 6 – 7 p.m. (Live Video)
- ACU at Eastern New Mexico: Sunday, Sept. 8 – 12 p.m. CT
SERIES HISTORY
- Texas Tech leads the all-time series, 3-0. The teams met every other year (2014, 2016, 2018) and will now get together in an odd year for the first time. Tech topped ACU 1-0 in Lubbock a season ago.
- The Wildcats hold a 6-1 record in the seven-game series against ENMU. The two teams have not met since 2012, when they were both members of NCAA Division II and the Lone Star Conference. ACU won the last meeting, 3-0.
ACU STORYLINES
- The Wildcats split the weekend, picking up a 2-0 home win over Southwest (N.M.) before falling on the road at #16 Texas A&M, 4-0.
- ACU matched up with three "power-five" schools (Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, ACC, Pac-12) a season ago (TCU, Texas Tech, Baylor x2), and do the same in 2019. Tech will be the second-consecutive power-five school, and the final game in that stretch will be a home match against Baylor for Senior Night on Sunday, Sept. 15.
- Junior
Christina Arteaga is off to a good start in year three. The Pflugerville native scored both goals in the home win over Southwest, and now leads the team with three scores so far. Arteaga ranks fourth in the Southland with eight shots placed on goal.
-
Erin Smith is off to a 3-1 start in net, and has tallied 15 saves in the process. ACU's defense in front of Smith is allowing 13.8 shots per game.
- Freshman
Natalie Jones has two goals in her rookie campaign, while
Michelle Mulrooney and
Shay Johnson each have a score as well.
SCOUTING TEXAS TECH (3-1)
- The Lady Raiders are coming off of back-to-back 4-0 home wins over Oral Roberts and North Texas. Texas Tech is 3-0 when it scores a goal this season. The third victory was a 6-1 win at San Diego State to open the season.
- The
John Walker Soccer Complex has proven to be a tough place to play for non-conference
opponents. TTU owns a 56-9-2 record over at home in that span.
- Seven different players have scored this season, led by Kirsten Davis' two goals.
- Marissa Zucchetto has allowed just one goal in three starts.
SCOUTING EASTERN NEW MEXICO (0-0)
- The Greyhounds return several key pieces from last season's squad, including All-LSC First Team midfielder Samantha Fabela, All-LSC Second Team defender Hayden Zuniga as well as her twin sister, Keyara, who was the team's top goal scorer a year ago with five and Julia Tucker, an All-LSC Tournament Team performer last season.
- Despite the Hounds bringing back several of their top contributors from a season ago, ENMU has 19 new players that have joined the 2019 squad, including seven transfers and 12 high school signees.
- Eastern is a part of a new-look LSC that has doubled in size from a year ago, expanding from seven teams to 14 teams with the top seven teams receiving bids to the conference tournament in November.
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