Soccer hosts pair of Utah schools this weekend at Elmer Gray

FRIDAY'S MATCH

SUNDAY'S MATCH

ABILENE – The ACU soccer team takes the field at Elmer Gray Stadium for the first time in WAC play as it welcomes in a pair of teams from the state of Utah. ACU (4-2-2, 0-0-1 WAC) hosts Southern Utah on Friday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. before hosting Utah Tech on Sunday, Sept. 25 at 1 p.m. The team will host Family Night on Friday with parents and family of students in town for the weekend. Sunday is Rally Cat Kids Club Day at the field as well. Both games will air on ESPN+.

PROMOTIONS

• FRIDAY | Family Night
• SUNDAY | Rally Cat Kids Club Day

SERIES HISTORY VS. SOUTHERN UTAH

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

SERIES HISTORY VS. UTAH TECH

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

ACU STORYLINES

• TIE IN STEPHENVILLE – The Wildcats will bring a five-match unbeaten streak into the weekend after picking up their second tie of the year last Sunday at Tarleton. ACU scored in the early minutes with Jordan Michie, only to see Tarleton score with five minutes remaining to tie the game. ACU has not lost in five matches, going 3-0-2 in that stretch.
• DOUBLING DOWN – Senior Caylen Wright scored a pair of goals against Prairie View A&M, 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 against Prairie View, and then combined with Lili Ross for a shutout against Texas Southern. 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 15 shot attempts, and just 10 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 145 career shot attempts are eighth all-time.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN UTAH (7-1-0, 2-0-0 WAC)

• The Thunderbirds are in their first year in the WAC, and are off to a 7-1 start including a pair of league wins last weekend. Southern Utah topped UTRGV, 2-1, last Friday, before beating SFA, 1-0, on Sunday.
• Sammie Sofonia leads the way with six goals scored, while Kate Schirmer has scored four times with a pair of assists.
• Megan Short has made eight starts in net, going 7-1 with 33 saves and three shutouts.

SCOUTING UTAH TECH (6-2-0, 2-0-0 WAC)

• The Trailblazers are in the midst of six-straight wins, all via the shutout, including a 2-0 victory of SFA and a 1-0 win over UTRGV last weekend. Utah Tech will play at Tarleton on Friday before coming to Abilene to close the weekend.
• Karli Nyland leads the way with four goals scored. Utah Tech has only scored 12 goals this season, but their defense carries them.
• Kayla Thompson is 6-2 in net with 32 saves and six shutouts.

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