Ladyjacks Geared For SLU and Nicholls This Weekend
10/16/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Game 14: Stephen F. Austin (10-2-1, 6-0-0 SLC) vs. Southeastern Louisiana (11-3-0, 4-2-0 SLC)
Friday, Oct. 17 (7:00 p.m.) - SFA Soccer Field
• Live Stats | SFA All Access
Game 15: Stephen F. Austin (10-2-1, 6-0-0 SLC) at Nicholls (7-5-0, 3-2-0 SLC)
Sunday, Oct. 19 (1:00 p.m.) - Nicholls Soccer Complex (Thibodaux, Louisiana)
• Live Stats
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack soccer team looks to continue their run in Southland Conference play, hosting Southeastern Louisiana at 7 p.m. on Friday, before heading to Nicholls State at 1 p.m. on Sunday to close their road schedule.
"This past weekend presented challenges unlike what I have seen in a very long time," head coach Wally Crittenden said. "Abilene Christian and McNeese State were all about managing our fitness, recovery and competitive mentality against two teams that were really prepared to play at their home fields in big games. Both matches were difficult in different ways, but, ultimately, we move on from that weekend feeling really confident in the intangibles we have on our team. The psychological make-up of this group is really good right now. As we head into this weekend's matches, we will look to clean up our play and rededicate ourselves to our possession and executing our schemes. I feel really good about where we are as a group right now from a psychological standpoint, from a team chemistry standpoint, and from a health point of view.
"Southeastern Louisiana will be another tight match against a top of the table team that we have a lot of history with. There won't be much motivation needed for our players as we remember the last time we played this team back in November. I anticipate it will be one of our best matches this year based on training this week. Nicholls is a dangerous team, who is very well coached, and I know they will be prepared to give us their best shot on their home field. We will have to play really well and execute at a high level to be in a position to win that game on the road.
"I trust this group. Every time they have been challenged this season, they have responded and I have no reason to think this weekend will be any different. In fact, I am raising my expectations of how I expect us to play this weekend based on the intangible cues that I have observed over the past couple of weeks and in the recovery, and buzz, I see in our players at training. It is really exciting at the moment, but all of that does nothing for you if you are not prepared to compete on Friday and Sunday. I trust we will be ready to compete. The rest will be up to the execution of either team in the key moments that will define the game."
SFA, after picking up 1-0 wins at McNeese State (overtime) and Abilene Christian over the weekend, is 10-2-1 on the season and a perfect 6-0 in league action to sit atop the standings with five matches to go. The Ladyjacks have outscored their conference foes 12-2 in league play and are 4-0 at the SFA Soccer Field this season. SFA enters Friday's match on an eight-match win streak.
NOTES:
• Ladyjacks vs. SLU - SFA and the Lady Lions will be meeting for the 34th time on the pitch, when the two teams face off on the SFA Soccer Field on Friday night. The match marks a rematch of last season's Southland Conference Tournament championship game, which ended in a 0-0 double overtime draw with SLU claiming a 3-1 edge in penalty kicks to earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Ladyjacks hold a 16-9-8 mark since the two teams first met in the 1995 season. SFA, although dropping the PK decision in its final game last season, is unbeaten in its last four meeting with SLU, winning the last two matches that took place in Nacogdoches. In 14 meetings at the SFA Soccer Field, the Ladyjacks have only dropped one decision to the Lady Lions, coming in a 2-0 loss in 2009.
• Scouting SLU - The Lady Lions enter Friday's match with an 11-3-0 overall record and a 4-2-0 mark in SLC play. SLU, currently second in the conference standings, is coming off a 2-1 triumph at Central Arkansas last Friday. The win snapped a two-game skid for the Lady Lions, who had previously dropped 2-0 and 2-1 decisions at Lamar and Abilene Christian after opening league play on a three-game winning streak, downing Texas A&M - Corpus Christi (3-1), McNeese State (1-0) and Incarnate Word (2-0). SLU is 7-0 at home this season, but just 4-3 when visiting the opponent. The Lady Lions lead or rank near the top in several key statistical categories, both as a team and individually. SLU leads the league in points (123), goals (43), assists (37) and is tied with SFA with eight shutouts. The Lady Lions also rank second in shots (209) and goals against average (0.71), tied for fourth in corners (56) and eighth in saves (67). Individually, Bri Singh leads the league in goals (12) and points (27), ranks second in shots (40) and is tied for fourth in game-winning goals (3). Maggie Ramsey is tied for the league-lead in game-winning goals (4), second in points (20), tied for second in goals (7) and assists (6) and eighth in shots (34). Kate Noonan leads the league in assists (10), with Gisenia Uteras (4th-5) and Chelsea Villaescusa (6th-4) also ranking in the top six. Reigning SLC Goalkeeper of the Year, Hope Sabadash leads the league in goals-against average (0.54) and save percentage (.891) and is tied for second in shutouts (5), while Casey Jeanfreau is fourth in goals-against average (1.04). Sabadash, 8-1-0 in goal this season, has missed the last four matches due to injury. Jeanfreau is 2-2 with 24 saves in place of Sabadash.
• Promotion(s) vs. SLU - Fans are encouraged to come show their SFA spirit on Friday night for SFA ROTC Night. SFA Athletics will have a presentation of the colors for the national anthem and will recognize veteran Tacy Caffey at halftime.
• Ladyjacks vs. NICH - SFA and the Colonels will be meeting for the 25th time when the two teams face off at Nicholls Soccer Complex in Thibodaux, Louisiana, on Sunday. The Ladyjacks lead the all-time series 21-1-2, riding a 19-game unbeaten streak against NICH that dates back to 2000. SFA's lone loss to the Colonels came in a 1-0 decision at home (9/6/00). The Ladyjacks have never lost when visiting NICH, posting a 10-0-2 record in 12 trips to the Bayou State.
• Scouting NICH - The Colonels enter Sunday's match with a 7-5-0 overall record and 3-2 mark in SLC play. NICH, currently sixth in the table, is on a two-game winning streak, defeating Incarnate Word and Lamar by scores of 3-1 and 2-0, respectfully. The Colonels other league win came against Texas A&M - Corpus Christi (1-0). NICH most recently had its final non-conference match of the season cancelled due to scheduling conflicts with Southern University. As a team, the Colonels rank third in the conference in points (73) and goals (27), tied for fourth in shutouts (4), fifth in assists (19), seventh in shots (172), eighth in goals against average (1.67), ninth in saves (5.00) and 10th in corners (37). The NICH offense is led by Jess Coates, who has 13 points through 12 matches played (all contests started). Coates ranks second on the team with four goals and is one behind reigning SLC Player of the Year Spencer Valdespino, who has five. Valdespino ranks 10th in the league in goals (5) and shots (3.20), while Coates is tied for 10th in points (13). Emily Werenskold leads the team and ranks sixth in the league in assists (4)
• Looking Ahead - Following Sunday's tilt at NICH, the Ladyjacks will return to the SFA Soccer Field for their final three matches of the regular season. SFA will host Central Arkansas on Friday, Oct. 24, as the game was recently move from its Sunday, Oct. 26, original scheduled date, before closing out with Texas A&M - Corpus Christi (Oct. 31) and Incarnate Word (Nov. 2).
• Ladyjacks Sweeps SLC Player of the Week Honors - SFA swept the Southland Conference Player of the Week honors, with Zuri Prince, Brooke Dunnigan and Morgan Glick picking up offensive, defensive and goalkeeper awards, the league office announced Tuesday, Oct. 14, after the Ladyjacks picked up a pair of 1-0 victories to remain undefeated in SLC play, downing both McNeese State in overtime and Abilene Christian on the road. The honor was the third of the season for Glick, as she became the only keeper in the conference to win the award three times this season. Prince's recognition marks first offensive honor of the season for both her and SFA this season. Dunnigan's honor was the first of her career and marked the third defensive credit given to the Ladyjacks. Brooke Dunnigan and her older sister Megan Dunnigan have combined for all three of the defensive honors for SFA this season.
• Raymond In The Record Books - Senior Chelsea Raymond, already the all-time goals leader (46) and shots leader (289) at SFA, became the all-time career points at SFA with a goal against Southern (9/14). Raymond scored her second goal of the season at Louisiana-Monroe (9/12) to tie the all-time mark of 96 points, before striking on a one-on-one opportunity in the 53rd minute against SU to hold the points outright with 98. Raymond has since added three more goals to move her career points total to 106 (46 goals, 14 assists). She also sits tied for fifth all-time with 14 assists in her career.
• Climbing In Assists - Seniors Zuri Prince and Chelsea Raymond continue to climb the record book in assists. Prince entered the season with 13 assists and has since added six through the 11 matches of the season to sit third place all-time with 19 in her career. Raymond has 14 career assists, good enough for a share of fifth all-time.
• SFA In The Rankings - The Ladyjacks currently possess the 33rd best scoring offense (2.23) in the country, also ranking 17th in win percentage (.808), tied for 18th in shutout percentage (.615), 25th in save percentage (.859), and 28th in goals against average (0.672). SFA currently sits 92nd in RPI, their highest rank of the season and highest of any team in the Southland. In the SLC, the Ladyjacks rank first in fewest goals allowed (9), goals against average (0.68) and shots (210), tied for first in shutouts (8), second in points (78), goals (29) and corners (62), fourth in assists (20) and 10th in saves (55). Senior forward Zuri Prince is tied for the league-lead in game-winning goals (4), ranking second in assists (6), third in points (18) and ninth in shots. Fellow senior Chelsea Raymond leads the conference in shots (46) and is tied for seventh in points (14), while freshman Hanna Barker is tied for 10th in points (13). Prince, Raymond and Barker are tied for the team-lead and rank seventh in the conference with six goals. In goal, senior keeper Morgan Glick leads the SLC with seven shutouts, also ranking second in goals against average (0.62) and save percentage (.875).
• No Place Like Home - SFA owns a 108-41-12 (.708) all-time mark at home, but it has been their recent success in Nacogdoches that stands out. The Ladyjacks have posted a 35-4-0 record over last four-plus seasons at the SFA Soccer Field.
• Dunnigan SLC Defensive Player of the Week - Senior Megan Dunnigan took home her second Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week honor of the season, after helping the Ladyjacks to a 0-0 double overtime draw at LSU on Monday, Sept. 8. The native of Round Rock, Texas (Vista Ridge HS), captained the SFA back line, playing 99 minutes of lock-down defense in holding the Tigers scoreless to pick up the first tie of the season for the Ladyjacks.
• Glick SLC Goalkeeper of the Week - Senior Morgan Glick took home her second Southland Conference Goalkeeper of the Week honor of the season, after helping the Ladyjacks to a 0-0 double overtime draw at LSU on Monday, Sept. 8. The native of Boerne, Texas (Champion HS), anchored SFA, playing all 110 minutes in the net. The keeper made 10 saves and did not allow any goals across 26 shots faced from the Tigers.
• Dunnigan SLC Defensive Player of the Week - Senior Megan Dunnigan took home the first Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week honor, after helping the Ladyjacks to a 1-1 start to the 2014 season. The native of Round Rock, Texas (Vista Ridge HS), captained the SFA back line to a 2-0 shutout of Oregon State for the program's first-ever win in program history and followed by limiting No. 9 Texas A&M to just one goal. Dunnigan played all 180 minutes and took two shots.
• Glick SLC Goalkeeper of the Week - Senior Morgan Glick took home the first Southland Conference Goalkeeper of the Week honor, after helping the Ladyjacks to a 1-1 start to the 2014 season. The native of Boerne, Texas (Champion HS), anchored the SFA back line to a 2-0 shutout of Oregon State for the program's first-ever win in program history and followed by limiting No. 9 Texas A&M to just one goal. Glick, playing every minute in goal, made 10 saves across 39 shots faced, with eight coming against the Aggies.
• Entering The Season - The Ladyjacks enter the season looking to continue the success that was achieved under Crittenden in his first season. In 2013, SFA became the first three-peat conference champions in Southland history. Along the way, the Ladyjacks matched the best regular season game win total with 15 wins, setting a new shutout record with 14 blankings of the opponent. SFA also posted its first undefeated season on the road with a 9-0-3 mark. Last season, the stout Ladyjack defense led the SLC in goals allowed (12) and shutouts (14) while offense ranked fourth in goals (44) and assists (28). SFA, which at one time led the nation in both respective statistical categories, ended the season ranked ninth nationally with a .636 shutout percentage and 10th nationally with a .520 goals against average.
• Picked To Click - SFA was picked to win the 2014 regular-season crown in polls conducted by the league's coaches and sports information directors, the conference office announced Thursday, Aug. 14. The Ladyjacks received 11 first-place votes from the coaches and nine first-place nods from the SIDs to earn a total of 121 points in the coaches' poll and 119 in the SID poll.
• Preseason All-SLC - The Ladyjacks placed six on the 2014 preseason all-conference teams, including a league-high four on the first team, the Southland Conference office announced Wednesday, Aug. 13. Senior forwards Chelsea Raymond and Zuri Prince and sister defenders Megan Dunnigan, a senior, and Brooke Dunnigan, a sophomore, made up the first team, while junior defenders Rachel Owens and Chantal Curry each earned a spot on the second team.
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