SFA Hits Road For Two Conference Matches
10/9/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Game 12: Stephen F. Austin (8-2-1, 4-0 SLC) at McNeese State (4-7-1, 2-3-0 SLC)
Friday, Oct. 10 (6:00 p.m.) - Cowgirl Field (Lake Charles, Louisiana)
• Live Stats
Game 13: Stephen F. Austin (8-2-1, 4-0 SLC) at Abilene Christian (6-6-1, 3-1-1 SLC)
Sunday, Oct. 12 (1:30 p.m.) - Shotwell Stadium (Abilene, Texas)
• Live Stats | Live Video
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack soccer team, after improving to 4-0 in both Southland Conference play and at home, hit the road for two league matches this weekend. SFA will play at McNeese State on Friday at 6 p.m., before heading up to Abilene Christian for a 1:30 p.m. match on Sunday.
"This weekend is going to be a challenge," head coach Wally Crittenden said. "McNeese is a team that, though they're in the bottom half of the standings right now, is capable of playing really well. They are a team that is very physical. They are in the top half of the conference in fouls, so we expect a physical game from them at their place. They are going to do what puts them in the best position to be successful, and I think we are really prepared to take on that game plan. We've played physical and high-pressing teams in the past and we've gotten better each time. I'm excited about matching up with them from a scheme standpoint.
"Then we got to turn around, because we have a nine-hour bus swing to Abilene. It will be a fantastic test. Our players talk about the goals they set for the season and what they want their team, their legacy to be and we will find out this weekend. This weekend we will find out how well prepared we are to grind and how mature we are going to be when faced with adversity. Abilene is a very well rounded team that has gotten good results in a good non-conference schedule, so they are going to demand our best as well. It is going to be an exciting weekend. I can't wait for it."
NOTES:
• SFA vs. McN - SFA and the Cowgirls will be meeting 32nd time on the pitch, when the two teams takes face off on Cowgirl Field on Friday night. The Ladyjacks have enjoyed success against McN, holding a 22-6-3 all-time advantage since the two programs met for the first time in the 1996 season. SFA is currently riding an eight-game win streak against the Cowgirls entering Friday, with their last loss to McN coming in a 1-0 decision in Lake Charles, Louisiana, in the 2007 season. The Ladyjacks are 8-3-3 when visiting the Cowgirls, winning their last three trips to the Bayou State. Over their last three meetings, SFA has outscored McN 9-0. The last goal the Ladyjacks allowed to the Cowgirls was in 2010, defeating McN 2-1 at the SFA Soccer Field on October 10th.
• Scouting McN - The Cowgirls enter Friday's match with a 4-7-1 overall record and a 2-3-0 mark in SLC play. McN, currently eighth in the conference standings, is coming off a 2-1 overtime loss at Houston Baptist last Sunday. In league play, the Cowgirls have also dropped decisions to Southeastern Louisiana (1-0) and Sam Houston State (4-2), while picking up 3-2 and 1-0 victories over Nicholls and Texas A&M - Corpus Christi at home. At Cowgirls Field this season, McN is 4-1-1. Sophomore Savanna Laricci leads the Cowgirls with 10 points through 12 matches, all contests started. She is one of five Cowgirls to score a goal thus far this season, joined by Sierra Sisco (three goals), Krista Steinbeiser (two goals), Gabi D'Alesandro (two goals) and Nickie Schaaf (one goal). Junior Maggie Marks is one of three goalkeepers to protect the net this season for McN, playing 784 of the 1,109 total minutes in goal. Through 10 games, nine starts, Marks owns a 3-5-1 record on the season with 28 saves. She also ranks fourth in the league with three shutouts. In the SLC, the Cowgirls rank second in corners (53), third in fouls (132), tied for third in shutouts (4), sixth in shots (168), seventh in goals against average (1.54), ninth in points (31) and goals (12), 10th in assists (7) and 12th in saves (42). Individually, sophomore Savannah LaRicci is tied for fifth in the conference in shots (32) and Sisco is also tied for fifth with two game-winners.
• SFA vs. ACU - SFA and the Wildcats will be meeting for just the second time in program history, when the two teams face off at Shotwell Stadium on Sunday. The Ladyjacks lead the all-time series 1-0, claiming a 2-0 win last season at the SFA Soccer Field. Last season marked the first-ever meeting between the two teams in both program history and as conference foes.
• Scouting ACU - The Wildcats enter Sunday's match with a 6-6-1 overall record and 3-1-1 mark in SLC play. ACU is on a three-game unbeaten streak, defeating Nicholls (3-0), Southeastern Louisiana (2-1) and tying Central Arkansas (2-2) after two overtimes. The Wildcats have also defeated Sam Houston State (3-2) and dropped a 1-0 overtime decision at Houston Baptist in league play. Freshman Baylee Mitchell leads ACU with 14 points without recording a start across 13 matches played. Mitchell, who's impressive stats as a substitute player have her tied for the league lead with for game-winners (4), second for goals (7) and fifth for points, headlines a balanced attack from the Wildcats, as 11 other players have also recorded one goal or more on the season. ACU uses a two-goalkeeper system, between Kelsey Dombrowski and Sydney Newton. Dombrowski has played 555 minutes in goal, across eight matches played and seven starts, posting a 3-2-1 record with 37 saves. Conversely, Newton has played 652 minutes between the posts, across nine matches played and six starts, posting a 3-4-0 record with 44 saves. In the SLC, the Wildcats rank first in saves (82), fourth in goals against average (1.34) and fouls (117), fifth in assists (17), sixth in points (59) and goals (21), seventh in shots (167), tied for eight in shutouts (2) and ninth in corners (37).
• Looking Ahead - Following Sunday's tilt at ACU, the Ladyjacks will return to the SFA Soccer Field to host Southeastern Louisiana on Friday, before heading to Nicholls next weekend.
• Crittenden On Last Time Out (against SHSU) - "Going in, we knew the Battle of the Piney Woods was going to be a big game. It is a rivalry game and both teams were going to come out and be committed. We played well. I can tell you with the first goal we gave up, we talked about possession in the back. Possession is a big thing that we do and one of the other things we tell our team is, the worst thing that can happen is we get dispossessed and give up a goal. If that happens, we got to know how it happened and learn from it. That is the first time all season that we've given up a goal as a result of trying to maintain possession. All in all, we played well. We created some dangerous attacks. We missed a couple opportunities though. Today, despite the cool weather, was still sunny and still demanded the athletic commitment from the kids. When you add on the emotion of the Piney Woods game, it asks a lot. That's why coming out of this, we are really excited to get the result."
• Raymond In The Record Books - Senior Chelsea Raymond, already the all-time goals leader (46) and shots leader (283) 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 19th best scoring offense (2.45) in the country, also ranking 25th in points (6.64) and tied for 25th in shutout percentage (0.545). SFA currently sits 105th in RPI, the highest rank of any team in the Southland. In the SLC, the Ladyjacks ranks first in fewest goals allowed (9), second in shots (180), shutouts (6) and goals against average (0.80), tied for second in points (73) and goals (27), third in assists (19) and fifth in corners (48). Senior forward Chelsea Raymond ranks first in the league in shots (40), tied for third in game-winning goals (3), tied for fifth in points (14) and tied for sixth in goals (6). Fellow senior forward Zuri Prince sits second in SLC in assists (6), also tied for fifth in points (14) and game-winning goals (2). Freshman Hanna Barker sits tied for sixth in the league in goals (6) and tied for ninth in points (13). In goal, senior keeper Morgan Glick is tied for the SLC lead with five shutouts, also ranking second in goals against average (0.76) and save percentage (.848).
• 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.
• Follow SFA on social media - Not following SFA athletics? Sign up or sign in now and like and follow to find out what's happening. You'll stay up-to-date on the latest news and receive live in-game updates at each and every match. Fans can follow the exploits of all 17 varsity sports, by following @SFA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram or by liking the official Facebook page. Each sport also has a twitter account dedicated to that team. Fans can follow @SFA_Soccer on Twitter or like the Ladyjacks' official Facebook page.
-SFA-
