SFA Set For Opener With Oregon State
8/21/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 21, 2014
Game 1: Stephen F. Austin (0-0) vs. Oregon State (0-0)
Friday, Aug. 22 (7:30 p.m.) - SFA Soccer Field • Live Stats | SFA All-Access
Game 2: Stephen F. Austin (0-0) at Texas A&M (0-0)
Sunday, Aug. 24 (7 p.m.) - Ellis Field (College Station) • Live Stats | SEC Network
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The three-time defending Southland Conference champion Stephen F. Austin Ladyjack soccer team begins their journey to an unprecedented four-peat, hosting Oregon State in the season opener for both teams in a 7:30 match on Friday at the SFA Soccer Field.
"This weekend presents two great opportunities to start the season against quality opposition and measure where we are," head coach Wally Crittenden said. "I feel really good about our team right now. We have great chemistry, are well organized, and it has resulted in some very competitive training sessions and a very good team performance against Rice.
"All we need to focus on now is representing our process and executing our schemes. Both games this weekend will feature teams that are excited. Emotion alone will not determine the results. What will define the outcome of these games will be whichever team executes at the highest level as a collective unit. I really like where we are at the moment in that regard. The time has come to turn 'em lose and let 'em play. I can promise one thing...it is going to be a lot of fun."
NOTES:
• SFA vs. OSU - SFA and the Beavers will be meeting for the first time on the pitch when the two teams take to the field under the lights.
• Scouting OSU - OSU comes to Nacogdoches after a 6-12-2 season, in which the Beavers posted a 4-6-1 record in Pac-12 play. The Beavers are led by junior Gwen Bieck, who has started 35 games across two season between defense and midfield, and sophomore Kathryn Baker, who earned Pac-12 honorable mention last season after starting all 20 games on the back line.
• Promotions vs. OSU - SFA students can enjoy a pre-game tailgate provided by the SFA CRU. SFA's Weeks of Welcome program, run through the orientation department, will also have approximately 250 t-shirts that they will be giving away to students and fans in attendance.
• Looking Ahead - Following Friday's tilt with OSU, the Ladyjacks will head to Texas A&M for a Sunday match scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. The trip to College Station marks a return for head coach Wally Crittenden, who served on the Aggie staff from 2010-12 before coming to SFA.
• SFA vs. TAMU - SFA and the Aggies have met four times since 1995, with TAMU prevailing in each match. The two teams most recently met in the first round of the 2012 NCAA Championship with the Aggies advancing on a 1-0 win.
• Scouting TAMU - The Aggies enter the 2013 season on the heels of a 18-5-2 mark in which TAMU posted its 10th consecutive 15-win season dating back to 2004. The Aggies enter the first week of the season ranked No. 9 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/Continental Tire poll, No. 8 in the Soccer America Top 25, No. 4 in the TopDrawerSoccer.com Top 25 and No. 9 in the BennettRank poll. TAMU, the reigning SEC regular season and Tournament champion, are lead by senior Kelley Monogue. The midfield enters the season with 84 career points, ranking ninth all-time. Monogue has 35 career goals, followed closely by fellow senior Annie Kunz's 32.
• 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.
• SFA In Season Openers - The Ladyjacks are 10-8-1 all-time in season openers. SFA has won its last two openers, defeating Houston 2-0 in 2012 and Rice 1-0 in 2013.
• No Place Like Home - SFA owns a 104-41-12 (.764) all-time mark at home, but it has been their recent success in Nacogdoches that stands out. The Ladyjacks have posted a 31-4-0 record over last four seasons at home.
• 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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