Soccer welcomes UTEP for home opener

ABILENE – The ACU soccer team wraps up its opening week of the 2022 season with the first home game of the year when it welcomes in UTEP to Elmer Gray Stadium. The Wildcats and Miners get together at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 21, with both teams coming off of opening day losses. ACU is hosting a Back to School Bash during the game, where fans are encouraged to bring school supplies that will then be dropped off at multiple locations to help students at the beginning of the school year. Sunday afternoon's game will air on WAC International.

BACK TO SCHOOL BASH

Sunday's game featured the Back to School Bash. Fans are encouraged to bring any and however many school supplies they want to Elmer Gray Stadium. After the game, ACU's athletic department will donate the supplies to organizations that help donate supplies to kids who need things before the school year begins. Any and all school supplies are welcome for donation.

SERIES HISTORY VS. UTEP

• ALL-TIME | 9th meeting (ACU leads, 4-2-2)
• LAST MEETING | ACU 1, UTEP 0 (Au. 22, 2021 - El Paso)
• STREAK | ACU, w4
• IN ABILENE | Tied, 1-1-1
• IN EL PASO | ACU leads, 3-1-1
• NEUTRAL | n/a
• POSTSEASON | n/a

ACU STORYLINES

• ROOKIE DEBUT – Freshman Hannah Vetromile scored the first goal of her career Thursday night at North Texas, scoring in the 28th minute  after a UNT card. Teammate Macie Stephens sent a ball into the box from out near midfield, and Vetromile got her foot on it. The rookie got an initial shot off that was deflected by a UNT defender, then the Justin, Texas native used the deflection to her advantage to get a second shot off, this time putting in the back right side of the net.
• RETURNERS – ACU brings back 19 players from the 2021 roster, including previous all-conference performers at each level. Natalie Jones headlines the returners at the midfield spot, while Caylen Wright leads the offense and Ellen Joss paces the defense. Lily Foster returns in net for her redshirt sophomore year, while forwards Jordan Michie, Nicole Barham, and Chayse Thorn are back for more as well. Defensively with Joss comes Hannah Gage along with Macie Stephens, Faith Husbenet, and Sami Brown. Jones is joined in the midfield by returners Grace Ornelas, Taylor Denn, Jazzy Torres, and Brennan Reuland. It's an experienced group that played over 10,000 minutes on the pitch last season.
• NEWCOMERS – The Wildcats bring in 11 new players, and look out for goalkeeper Lili Ross, Vetromile, forward/defender Jillian Beck, and defenders McCarly Holloman and Olivia Bos. It's a star-studded freshman class that brings a lot of talent to the table.
• THE COACH – Head coach Casey Wilson enters his 16th season as the only coach in program history, making him just one of 11 coaches in the country still with the program they started from scratch. Joining him on that list is North Texas head coach John Hedlund.
• HISTORY BOOKS – Senior Natalie Jones is currently eighth all-time at ACU in career goals scored with 17. She also ranks seventh in program history with 12 career assists, and her 126 career shot attempts rank ninth all-time. Senior Caylen Wright has scored 15 times in her career, the ninth-most ever.

SCOUTING UTEP

• The Miners are coming off a 3-0 loss at home against UC Davis Thursday night, and are coming off a season in 2021 that featured a 4-12 season and a 1-7 mark in C-USA games.
• From the team of a year ago, UTEP returns four starters and 13 letterwinners. Cayman Tamez, Vanessa Cabello, Emerson Kidd, and Kristen Prevosto each started last season and are back, while Tessa Carlin was an All-Conference pick in the spring of 2021 and has returned after missing last season due to injury.

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