Ladyjacks Face Pair of Conference Foes, Recognize Seniors With Weekend Matches

Friday, October 13

Nacogdoches, Texas

7:00 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

Southeastern Louisiana

Ladyjacks Face Pair of Conference Foes, Recognize Seniors With Weekend Matches

10/11/2017 6:06:00 PM | Women's Soccer

SFA caps final homestead of the regular season with weekend matches

By: Kevin Meyer | Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin women's soccer team will wrap up the regular season home schedule with a pair of Southland Conference matches this weekend, as the team hosts Southeastern Louisiana (3-7-3) on Friday and Nicholls on Sunday (5-8). Friday's match will also be Senior Night, a chance for the team to recognize the achievements of six seniors who will be playing in their final games at SFA Soccer Field over the weekend.

The Ladyjacks (7-6) come into the match as winners of three of their past four contests, including most recently a 1-0 victory over the University of Central Arkansas in Conway last Friday. As such, the team currently rests in a three-way tie for third in the league table at 4-2, trailing Houston Baptist (4-1-1) by one point and McNeese and Lamar (5-1/5-1) by three points.

On Friday, the Ladyjacks will recognize a six-woman senior class for their accomplishments at SFA. The senior class of Chloe Fowler, Michaela Mencacci, Hanna Barker, Madison Hall, Lauren Hall and Kennedy Rose has compiled a 45-22-3 overall record at SFA, including a 32-5-2 mark in Southland Conference play, and has brought SFA two regular season Southland championships.

"It's incredible that we're already to the point of our last two home games, this season has flown by and this group has grown and matured so much", said SFA head coach Wally Crittenden. "It has been really fun to work with this team, and I'm very excited to see what we do over the next few weeks because I really feel like our best soccer is still ahead of us. No doubt our best soccer is going to be led by our seniors, it's a group that has won a lot of games, won a couple titles and they consistently put us in a good position to win games."

There are no easy games in the Southland conference, not least of all this season, where several teams have outpaced their preseason projections. Both weekend opponents for the 'Jacks are under .500 on the campaign, but each has postseason aspirations of their own and will be as desperate as ever for a victory. That puts Stephen F. Austin in as tough a test as the schools that they find themselves amongst at the top of the table, who will play against each other in the final weeks of the season, guaranteeing movement atop the standings.

"This is a team that is capable of winning the conference title", said Crittenden. "I trust this team and I trust this group and I fully believe that they understand the stakes, there is no one that is going to want to win on Friday more than our underclassmen, to respect our seniors and send them off the right way, with a win."

Both of the weekend's opponents have had their share of struggles as of late, with Southeastern Louisiana entering the weekend winless in their last three matches, and Nicholls going 1-2 in its recent matches, with both losses coming via shutout. Both teams surrender a good number of shots to opponents, with Southeastern Louisiana coming in at just under 200 opponent shots and Nicholls tipping the scales at 230 in the campaign.

For the Lions, this has resulted in an added reliance on goalkeeper Michaela Hawthorne, who has played every minute between the sticks for Southeastern Louisiana. The freshman net-minder has responded pretty well, compiling four shutouts and a 1.31 goals-against-average in her 13 starts this season, while saving 84 shots on frame and facing 188 shots overall. The Lady Lions have yielded a total of 18 goals this season (seven in conference play), and will face a tough test in the offense of Stephen F. Austin.

"Southeastern Louisiana will come in well prepared and with good energy, because they need a result to make the conference tournament", Crittenden said. "They will be athletic and physical, we'll expect them to press well and challenge us, and I'm ready to see how our team responds to those challenges and matchups."

Nicholls has had more substantial problems on the defensive end, as they have allowed the second most goals in conference play (15) and post a team save percentage of just .766. A pair of goalkeepers in Roosa Humerinta and Lauren Benoit have split time this season, with Humerinta posting better numbers but facing half of the total number of shots that Benoit has. A 2-1 OT win over Texas A & M Corpus Christi is their only win in the past three games, and a 4-0 drubbing by Houston Baptist and a 2-0 shutout at home to McNeese on Friday have put Nicholls in a desperate spot heading into the home stretch of conference play.

"Nicholls will have a little different look from a personnel standpoint than last year, but we expect their formation to be similar from last season", Crittenden explained. "Our kids will remember how they got the result with us last year on a late goal, and we will have to take advantage of the matchups we have to convert the chances we get."

Defense has led the charge for the Ladyjacks during a stretch where they have won three of their past four games. SFA has not allowed a true run of play goal in their past five matches, and the two losses during that stretch came as a direct result of late and untimely penalty kicks for the opposition. Allyson Smith has excelled since becoming the team's primary goalkeeper, posting shutouts in each of SFA's last three wins and earning Southland Conference Goalkeeper of the Week honors this week. The sophomore is tied for second in the conference in fewest goals allowed during Southland play, and has risen to the challenge for the 'Jacks as of late.

Offensively, the team is still looking for their first scoring performance north of two goals, but has forged ahead regardless. Midfielder Hanna Barker has created consistent production throughout the season, and delivered the game-winning goal over Central Arkansas on Friday with a great free kick. Her four goals and three assists has her second in the league in total points through six conference games, and is more than halfway to reaching last season's point total of 30. Classmate Madison Hall has eclipsed her career high for goals in a season, and has four strikes to rank second on the team and just ahead of freshman Katelyn Termini, with three goals.

Possession has been a strength for the Ladyjacks all season, and has been both pivotal on offense and an effective piece defensively, allowing SFA to keep the ball away from the opposing team and limit chances. Nicholls and Southeastern Louisiana are both averaging less than one goal per conference match, and have five total through six games.

All around the league, important matchups are going to be played that will shift the situation atop the league table. SFA has a good chance, on paper, to get the results needed this weekend to move into the top spot in the Southland conference, but it will take their best effort to do so.

-SFA-