Ladyjacks Look to Keep Momentum
9/20/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 20, 2005
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Coming off a two-win weekend and a co-championship performance in the inaugural Ladyjack Soccer Classic, the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack soccer team is looking to keep building momentum as it heads toward Southland Conference play. The Ladyjacks host Grambling State Wednesday then head to Natcitoches, La. on Sunday for a non-conference meeting with SLC foe Northwestern State.
Wednesday's match against Grambling is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the SFA Intramural Complex. The Ladyjacks will face Northwestern State Sunday at 1 p.m. in Natchitoches.
SFA is coming off a successful weekend that saw the Ladyjacks win their first two home matches of the season to tie Texas State for a share of the title in the four-team Ladyjack Soccer Classic. SFA defeated Louisiana Tech, 2-0, and beat The Citadel, 4-0, to improve to 5-3 on the season. The victories halted a two-game skid for the Ladyjacks.
"Throughout our preparation for the weekend, we talked about consistency in our performance," SFA head coach Jaime Frias said. "Because of the results we've gotten early in the season, when teams come out to play against us, they're not taking us lightly. So we talked about focusing for 90 minutes and keeping consistency in our play."
Wednesday's opponent, the Lady Tigers, are looking for some consistency of their own. Grambling has had an up-and-down 2005 campaign. The Lady Tigers (2-5) have recorded wins against Lipscomb and Nicholls State but have dropped their last two matches, losing to Louisiana-Monroe and Texas-El Paso.
Grambling has been shut out in three of its five losses and has given up four goals or more in four of the five defeats.
Northwestern State brings a dead-even 4-4-1 mark into this week's action. The Demons host North Texas Friday, before welcoming SFA to Natchitoches. The Demons' last win was a 12-0 dismantling of Alcorn State on Sept. 15. NSU is coming off a 1-1 tie at South Alabama.
While the match will not count toward SLC records, the showdown with Northwestern is still a big event for the Ladyjacks. In a preseason poll of SLC head coaches, SFA and NSU tied for first place. "Even though it's a non-conference game, it's versus a conference opponent," Frias said, "so the girls will be up and ready. Northwestern is a strong team. They're one of the better teams in our conference. It will be a good challenge for us and help get us ready for our conference opener."
The Ladyjacks will open Southland Conference play on Friday, Sept. 30, when they host Texas State.
-- SFA --
