ACU opens WAC play at Tarleton Sunday

SUNDAY'S MATCH

STEPHENVILLE, Texas – After a seven-game lead-up in non-conference play, the ACU soccer team opens the WAC schedule Sunday afternoon 90 miles away at Tarleton. The Wildcats and Texans both sit at 4-2-1 on the season as the calendar shifts to the conference slate, and ACU will take its four-match unbeaten streak into Stephenville against a first-year program. Tarleton opened its inaugural season in 2022, and is 3-0 so far at home. The game kicks at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18, and the game will air on ESPN+.

SERIES HISTORY VS. TARLETON

• ALL-TIME | 1st meeting
• LAST MEETING | n/a
• STREAK | n/a
• IN ABILENE | n/a
• IN STEPHENVILLE | n/a
• NEUTRAL | n/a
• POSTSEASON | n/a

ACU STORYLINES

• SENIOR WEEKEND = SUCCESS – ACU took down Prairie View A&M, 5-0, on Friday, and capped the weekend with a 1-0 win over Texas Southern on Sunday at Elmer Gray Stadium. The pair of shutouts was ignited by stellar defense and a ton of firepower on offense. Caylen Wright scored twice Friday, while Ellen Joss, Chayse Thorn, and Jordan Michie contributed with goals as well. The lone goal on Sunday came from Brennan Reuland, and the 'Cats walked away with a Senior Day victory. ACU honored its nine seniors (seven players, two managers) prior to kickoff Sunday.
• DOUBLING DOWN – Senior Caylen Wright scored a pair of goals Friday, tallying the first multi-score game of her career. The two gave her 18 career scores, tied now for the sixth-most in ACU history, matching teammate Natalie Jones. Wright scored in the 9th and 17th minutes in the first half, and now has three goals this season.
• SHUTOUTS – When ACU wins, they win in dominant fashion. The 'Cats have scored 13 goals in their four wins, and all four have been shutouts. Lily Foster, back in the lineup, combined with Savanna Alba for a shutout on Friday, and then combined with Lili Ross for a shutout on Sunday. All three keepers are off to great starts in 2022.
• LEADING THE WAY – Sophomore Chayse Thorn's four goals lead the team, and has done so on just 14 shot attempts, and just nine on frame. Thorn has already topped her season total from a year ago (three).
• THE COACH – Head coach Casey Wilson, in his 16th season, is approaching 170 wins at ACU. The head man has 167 victories in his time as the only coach in program history.
• HISTORY BOOKS – Senior Natalie Jones is currently sixth all-time at ACU in career goals scored with 18, tied with Caylen Wright. Jones also ranks fifth in program history with 14 career assists, and her 144 career shot attempts are eighth all-time.

SCOUTING TARLETON (4-2-1)

• The Texans, in their inaugural season, are off to a 4-2-1 start, but are coming off a loss on Sunday at Louisiana Monroe, 3-1. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak, where they beat Alcorn State and UT Permian Basin by a combined score of 8-0.
• Three players are tied for the team-lead in goals (3): Mila Bettinelli, Adriana Alonso-Gomez, and Avery Harr. Overall, Tarleton has scored 18 times in their seven matches.
• Mikayla Kendall has made seven starts in net, and has 11 saves against eight goals allowed.

Follow ACU Soccer on Social Media
Twitter: @ACU_Soccer | @ACUsports
Instagram: @acu_soccer | @acusports
Facebook: /ACUSports

#SACRFCE | #GoWildcats