Looking to end a three-game losing streak, the Southern Utah University women’s soccer team hosts Abilene Christian University on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. followed by a match against Tarleton State University on Sunday, Oct. 19 at 1 p.m.
Both games will be played on the Thunderbird Soccer Field and can be streamed live on ESPN+.
Southern Utah
The T-Birds enter this week 2-9-2 on the season, sitting in sixth place in the Western Athletic Conference. It has been a tough three-game stretch for Southern Utah. SUU is 0-3 and has been held scoreless in all three games. The T-Birds have also given up eight goals in this three-game stretch.
In their last game against Abilene Christian and Tarleton State, SUU saw two very different results. SUU struggled against the Wildcats, losing 4-0 on Oct. 5. Against the Texans though, SUU played well, winning 2-0 on Oct. 2.
Goals have been tough to come by for the Thunderbird offense. SUU is averaging 0.85 goals a game and have a 55.8% shots on goal percentage. Sarah Assumma and Whitney Gardner lead SUU with three goals each.
Abilene Christian
The Wildcats are coming into this week 5-7-2 on the year and 1-2-2 in WAC play. Abilene Christian is a very different team away from Abilene, Texas. ACU is 4-0-1 at home but 1-7-1 on the road.
Abilene Christian showed off their balanced offensive attack in their last match against Southern Utah. ACU saw four different players score goals, with three of those goals coming off assists.
The leader of the Wildcats has been graduate student Abby Smith. The midfielder from Flower Mound, Texas leads ACU with four goals and nine total points.
Tarleton State
Despite the strong start to the season, Tarleton State is 7-5-3 on the season and 1-3-1 in conference play. After losing their first three conference games of the year, TSU is 1-0-1 in their last two games.
Tarleton State has one of the best goal scorers in the WAC. Senior forward Stevie Reynolds is tied for second in the conference with 23 total points. Reynolds also is tied for No. 2 with nine goals scored.
The Texans also have produced one of the best defenses in the conference behind their two goalkeepers Emma Barnes and Mikayla Kendall. Barnes has started in eight games for Tarleton State, allowing only five goals. Kendall has started in seven games and has 40 saves.
Author: Jack Paul
Photographer: SUU Athletics
Editor: Heather Turner
