Thursday, October 22
Edinburg, TX
6:30 p.m.
Stephen F. Austin
at
UTRGV
Ladyjacks Travel to UTRGV for Thursday Southland Match
10/19/2026 1:05:00 PM | Women's Soccer
SFA Soccer looks to snap skid and strengthen postseason push at UTRGV
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin women's soccer continues its season on the road this week with a matchup at UTRGV.Â
SFA at UTRGV
  Date and Time: Thursday, October 22 at 6:30 PM
  Location: UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex, Edinburg, TX
  Broadcast: ESPN+
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WHITTEMORE'S PREVIEW OF THE WEEK
Head coach Ashley Whittemore discussed the Ladyjacks' priorities as they prepare for this week's Southland Conference matchup at UTRGV.
"UTRGV is a physical and scrappy team," Whittemore said. "We can certainly match that, move the ball around and play our game."
Whittemore also noted that the long trip south will shape the team's training schedule this week. "We train today and tomorrow, then super early Wednesday before we hit the road," she said. "We are certainly looking forward to enjoying the trip and spending time with each other."
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SOUTHLAND STANDINGS
The Ladyjacks enter Thursday in 10th place in the Southland Conference standings with three points following their conference-opening win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. With nine points still available, SFA sits seven points back of the final spot in the Southland Conference Tournament.
UTRGV enters the match 11th in the conference standings with one point, earned in a draw against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
SCOUTING THE VAQUEROS
UTRGV brings a 4-9-1 overall record and a 0-5-1 mark in Southland Conference play into Thursday's match. The Vaqueros have scored 18 goals this season, led by Isabella Burtini's six goals and three assists. Amy Romero has added two goals and two assists, while Anuhea Aalona has scored twice.
UTRGV is coming off a 2-1 home loss to Nicholls on Oct. 15, despite holding an 18-10 advantage in shots. Burtini scored the Vaqueros' goal in the 65th minute. In goal, Mariana Amezcua has made 52 saves this season and owns a .743 save percentage.
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SERIES HISTORY
SFA enters Thursday's matchup unbeaten in its three previous trips to Edinburg, posting a 2-0-1 record against UTRGV. The Ladyjacks have outscored the Vaqueros 7-3 in those contests and won 4-1 in their most recent road meeting on Oct. 6, 2024. The series began with a 2-1 SFA win on Oct. 3, 2021, followed by a 1-1 draw in 2023. SFA will look to remain unbeaten on UTRGV's home field when the teams meet Thursday night.
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COMEBACK JACKS
SFA capped non-conference play with a thrilling comeback victory over Jackson State, as Alyce Chappelle scored the game-winner in the 77th minute. One week later, Chappelle delivered another late goal in the 88th minute to complete a comeback against the Islanders and move the Ladyjacks to 1-0 in Southland Conference play.
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SECOND HALF
On the season, the Ladyjacks have scored 25 goals, with 18 coming in the second half. Head coach Ashley Whittemore addressed the team's second-half success.
"We are a strong second-half team," Whittemore said. "We just have to adjust in the first half and put the pedal to the metal in the first 45 minutes as we do in the second half."
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A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
The Ladyjacks have 25 goals on 24 assists, led by Prié's and Platt's three assists. That total reflects an attack built on combination play rather than a single scorer, with Davis, Rosito, Platt and several others regularly involved in the final pass.
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The Ladyjacks rank 141st nationally in scoring offense and 104th in assists per game. SFA also ranks 124th in points per game at 4.63.
The Ladyjacks' 25 goals rank 94th nationally, while their 24 assists rank 77th. Alyce Chappelle leads SFA in goals and ranks among the nation's top 85 goal scorers while sitting second in the Southland Conference.
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PLAYER TO WATCH
Alyce Chappelle: Alyce Chappelle leads SFA with 15 points, pairing a team-best seven goals with one assist in her first season as a Ladyjack. The Idaho transfer scored the game-winner against Jackson State as part of a two-goal performance and has quickly become a focal point of the SFA attack. Chappelle added her second game-winning goal in the 88th minute against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the Southland Conference opener. She leads the Ladyjacks in five of six offensive categories and is tied fourth in the SLC in total goals. Against NSU, Chappelle netted two goals, including a last-second goal to give the Ladyjacks a first-half lead over the Lady Demons.
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LADYJACKS LAND AT THE FIVE
Before the start of the 2026 season, the Southland Conference reintroduced its preseason polls. Coming off a historic 2025 campaign that included a berth in the Southland Conference Tournament championship match, the Ladyjacks were picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll. SFA received one first-place vote, making the Ladyjacks the final team in the preseason poll to receive a first-place selection. The Islanders were picked seventh in the preseason poll, receiving 51 points.
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WILLIAMS EARNS SLC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (SEPT. 15)
Sydney Williams logged 180 minutes across matches against Texas Southern and Jackson State. She helped anchor the Ladyjacks' first shutout of the season in Thursday's 3–0 win over the Tigers, then scored the opening goal Sunday against Jackson State while leading SFA's backline to a second-half shutout in the Ladyjacks' comeback victory.
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MUST KNOW MUSSER
Goalkeeper Brandie Musser ranks in the top 60 keepers in the nation for total saves and is number two in the Southland. Musser also sits at standalone fourth place in the Southland for saves per game, averaging 4.06 a match.
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PRIÉ PK
Amelie Prié enters Thursday's match after scoring her first goal in a Ladyjacks uniform. The German defender has anchored SFA's backline this season with 767 minutes on the year. Prié has collected five points on three assists and one goal.
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WHITTEMORE BEGINS CONFERENCE YEAR TWO
Head coach Ashley Whittemore enters Thursday with a 12-13-10 record at SFA. In her first season, she led the Ladyjacks to an 8-4-10 record, a 5-1-4 Southland mark and the program's second Southland Conference Tournament championship-match appearance since returning to the league.
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NARROWÂ MARGINS
Five of the Ladyjacks' last six losses have come by one goal, while the other was a two-goal defeat. Head coach Ashley Whittemore said the group has remained resilient throughout the season.
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"We have been right there in every single game," Whittemore said. "We are playing well each game. We are getting better this whole season, even with the hits we have taken. The team has been super resilient in stepping up and filling in those gaps in the team."
Â
LAST TIME OUT
The Ladyjacks fell 1-0 to seventh-place SLU this past Thursday. SFA was on the wrong end of its fifth shutout loss of the season, including the second one by an SLC opponent.
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UP NEXT
SFA returns to the Chopping Block on Nov. 1 for its regular-season home finale against UIW. The matchup marks the 11th all-time meeting between the Ladyjacks and Cardinals and the sixth time the teams have faced off in Nacogdoches. SFA holds a 4-1 record against UIW at the Chopping Block, with its only home loss in the series coming in 2024.
FOLLOW THE LADYJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA soccer, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Ladyjacks on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
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#AxeEm x #EarnThe90
SFA at UTRGV
  Date and Time: Thursday, October 22 at 6:30 PM
  Location: UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex, Edinburg, TX
  Broadcast: ESPN+
Â
WHITTEMORE'S PREVIEW OF THE WEEK
Head coach Ashley Whittemore discussed the Ladyjacks' priorities as they prepare for this week's Southland Conference matchup at UTRGV.
"UTRGV is a physical and scrappy team," Whittemore said. "We can certainly match that, move the ball around and play our game."
Whittemore also noted that the long trip south will shape the team's training schedule this week. "We train today and tomorrow, then super early Wednesday before we hit the road," she said. "We are certainly looking forward to enjoying the trip and spending time with each other."
Â
SOUTHLAND STANDINGS
The Ladyjacks enter Thursday in 10th place in the Southland Conference standings with three points following their conference-opening win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. With nine points still available, SFA sits seven points back of the final spot in the Southland Conference Tournament.
UTRGV enters the match 11th in the conference standings with one point, earned in a draw against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
SCOUTING THE VAQUEROS
UTRGV brings a 4-9-1 overall record and a 0-5-1 mark in Southland Conference play into Thursday's match. The Vaqueros have scored 18 goals this season, led by Isabella Burtini's six goals and three assists. Amy Romero has added two goals and two assists, while Anuhea Aalona has scored twice.
UTRGV is coming off a 2-1 home loss to Nicholls on Oct. 15, despite holding an 18-10 advantage in shots. Burtini scored the Vaqueros' goal in the 65th minute. In goal, Mariana Amezcua has made 52 saves this season and owns a .743 save percentage.
Â
SERIES HISTORY
SFA enters Thursday's matchup unbeaten in its three previous trips to Edinburg, posting a 2-0-1 record against UTRGV. The Ladyjacks have outscored the Vaqueros 7-3 in those contests and won 4-1 in their most recent road meeting on Oct. 6, 2024. The series began with a 2-1 SFA win on Oct. 3, 2021, followed by a 1-1 draw in 2023. SFA will look to remain unbeaten on UTRGV's home field when the teams meet Thursday night.
Â
COMEBACK JACKS
SFA capped non-conference play with a thrilling comeback victory over Jackson State, as Alyce Chappelle scored the game-winner in the 77th minute. One week later, Chappelle delivered another late goal in the 88th minute to complete a comeback against the Islanders and move the Ladyjacks to 1-0 in Southland Conference play.
Â
SECOND HALF
On the season, the Ladyjacks have scored 25 goals, with 18 coming in the second half. Head coach Ashley Whittemore addressed the team's second-half success.
"We are a strong second-half team," Whittemore said. "We just have to adjust in the first half and put the pedal to the metal in the first 45 minutes as we do in the second half."
Â
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
The Ladyjacks have 25 goals on 24 assists, led by Prié's and Platt's three assists. That total reflects an attack built on combination play rather than a single scorer, with Davis, Rosito, Platt and several others regularly involved in the final pass.
Â
The Ladyjacks rank 141st nationally in scoring offense and 104th in assists per game. SFA also ranks 124th in points per game at 4.63.
The Ladyjacks' 25 goals rank 94th nationally, while their 24 assists rank 77th. Alyce Chappelle leads SFA in goals and ranks among the nation's top 85 goal scorers while sitting second in the Southland Conference.
Â
PLAYER TO WATCH
Alyce Chappelle: Alyce Chappelle leads SFA with 15 points, pairing a team-best seven goals with one assist in her first season as a Ladyjack. The Idaho transfer scored the game-winner against Jackson State as part of a two-goal performance and has quickly become a focal point of the SFA attack. Chappelle added her second game-winning goal in the 88th minute against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the Southland Conference opener. She leads the Ladyjacks in five of six offensive categories and is tied fourth in the SLC in total goals. Against NSU, Chappelle netted two goals, including a last-second goal to give the Ladyjacks a first-half lead over the Lady Demons.
Â
LADYJACKS LAND AT THE FIVE
Before the start of the 2026 season, the Southland Conference reintroduced its preseason polls. Coming off a historic 2025 campaign that included a berth in the Southland Conference Tournament championship match, the Ladyjacks were picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll. SFA received one first-place vote, making the Ladyjacks the final team in the preseason poll to receive a first-place selection. The Islanders were picked seventh in the preseason poll, receiving 51 points.
Â
WILLIAMS EARNS SLC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (SEPT. 15)
Sydney Williams logged 180 minutes across matches against Texas Southern and Jackson State. She helped anchor the Ladyjacks' first shutout of the season in Thursday's 3–0 win over the Tigers, then scored the opening goal Sunday against Jackson State while leading SFA's backline to a second-half shutout in the Ladyjacks' comeback victory.
Â
MUST KNOW MUSSER
Goalkeeper Brandie Musser ranks in the top 60 keepers in the nation for total saves and is number two in the Southland. Musser also sits at standalone fourth place in the Southland for saves per game, averaging 4.06 a match.
Â
PRIÉ PK
Amelie Prié enters Thursday's match after scoring her first goal in a Ladyjacks uniform. The German defender has anchored SFA's backline this season with 767 minutes on the year. Prié has collected five points on three assists and one goal.
Â
WHITTEMORE BEGINS CONFERENCE YEAR TWO
Head coach Ashley Whittemore enters Thursday with a 12-13-10 record at SFA. In her first season, she led the Ladyjacks to an 8-4-10 record, a 5-1-4 Southland mark and the program's second Southland Conference Tournament championship-match appearance since returning to the league.
Â
NARROWÂ MARGINS
Five of the Ladyjacks' last six losses have come by one goal, while the other was a two-goal defeat. Head coach Ashley Whittemore said the group has remained resilient throughout the season.
Â
"We have been right there in every single game," Whittemore said. "We are playing well each game. We are getting better this whole season, even with the hits we have taken. The team has been super resilient in stepping up and filling in those gaps in the team."
Â
LAST TIME OUT
The Ladyjacks fell 1-0 to seventh-place SLU this past Thursday. SFA was on the wrong end of its fifth shutout loss of the season, including the second one by an SLC opponent.
Â
UP NEXT
SFA returns to the Chopping Block on Nov. 1 for its regular-season home finale against UIW. The matchup marks the 11th all-time meeting between the Ladyjacks and Cardinals and the sixth time the teams have faced off in Nacogdoches. SFA holds a 4-1 record against UIW at the Chopping Block, with its only home loss in the series coming in 2024.
FOLLOW THE LADYJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA soccer, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Ladyjacks on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
Â
#AxeEm x #EarnThe90
Players Mentioned
Monday, October 19
Monday, October 12
Monday, October 05
Monday, October 05
