MOBILE, Ala. ? The University of South Alabama returns home looking to get back on the winning track against conference opponents Denver on Fri. Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. and North Texas on Sun. Oct. 8 at 1 p.m. USA dropped a pair of matches this past weekend on the road at Middle Tennessee, 8-0 and Western Kentucky, 2-0.
SCOUTING SOUTH ALABAMA: The University of South Alabama women’s soccer team stands at 4-8 overall and 2-2 in the Sun Belt after dropping a pair of matches this past weekend. The Jaguars were held scoreless this weekend at Middle Tennessee, 8-0 and Western Kentucky, 2-0. Sophomore goalkeeper Kelsie Langford recorded 13 saves on the weekend and freshman Amanda Douglas had four shots helping the Jags to 16 shots on the weekend.
Freshman Sam Stocker leads the team with six goals and 14 points. She also leads the team with 22 shots, 14 on goal and is tied for the team lead in assists with two. Senior Jenn Edgar is second in scoring with three goals and six points. Junior Kelly Tarrant, sophomores Carly Williams and Cortney Stewart, and freshmen Amanda Olivas and Tiara Smith each have one goal on the season.
In goal, the Jaguars have used all three keepers. Langford has seen the most action with 969:01 minutes played with 49 saves, a 1.95 GAA and two shutouts. Freshman Katie Berry has seen action in five matches, logging 99.02 minutes allowing three goals with six saves. Freshman Jessica Ori has seen action in two games in goal with two goals and three saves.
SCOUTING DENVER: The Pioneers are coming off a weekend sweep of Florida Atlantic, 5-1 and Florida International, 5-0 following a pair of wins against Louisiana-Lafayette, 3-2 and Louisiana-Monroe, 5-0. Denver enters the week with an 8-2-1 overall record and a 4-0 conference record.
Lleane Grimditch leads DU offensively with five goals, four assists and 14 points. Tied for second in scoring is Jenna Billingsley with four goals, three assists and 11 points and Taryn Hemmings with three goals, five assists and 11 points. Lizzy Carlson is third with four goals, two assists and 10 points. Grimditch leads the team with 46 shots.
In goal, Danielle Wiley and Mackenzie Snyder have split time. Wiley has seen action in 11 games tallying a 7-2 record, 27 saves, four shutouts, a 0.47 GAA and a .844 save percentage. Snyder has seen action in four games with a 1-0 record only giving up one goal.
Head coach Jeff Hooker is in his 14th season at the helm of the Pioneers program. Hooker has a 167-77-24 record with the women’s program in 14 seasons and a 20-12-4 record with the men’s program in two seasons. The Pioneers return 19 letterwinners from last season’s 8-9-2 squad that finished fourth in the conference.
LAST TIME THEY MET: The Pioneers lead the all-time series 5-1-0, with a 1-3 in Denver and an 0-2 record in Denver. The Pioneers won a 3-0 decision last season at Pioneer Field. USA won the first ever contest between the two teams, but DU has held the Jaguars scoreless in the last five meetings.
SCOUTING NORTH TEXAS: The Mean Green enter the week with an 8-2-2 record after a pair of conference wins this past weekend. UNT beat Florida International 5-1 and conference newcomer Florida Atlantic 4-0.
Heather Hutyra and Kendall Juett lead the Mean Green in goals with eight a piece. Hutyra has three assists, 19 points and leads the team with 63 shots. Juett, along with her eight goals, has four assists, 20 points and 41 shots. Also contributing goals are Kelli Lunsford, Kristen Campbell and Dani Slavonic with three each. Lunsford has recorded four assists, 10 points and 29 shots. Campbell has tallied three assists, nine points and 27 shots, while Slavonic has two assists, eight points and 18 shots.
In goal for North Texas is Kandice Ellis, who has played 1113:17 minutes with an 8-2-2 record, 46 saves, four shutouts, a 0.81 GAA and a .821 save percentage.
Head coach John Hedlund is in his 12th season at the helm of the Mean Green. Hedlund has recorder a 151-59-11 record in 12 seasons. The Mean Green welcome back 10 starters and 15 letterwinners from last season’s conference champions with a 16-4-2 record.
LAST TIME THEY MET: North Texas leads the all-time series 9-1, including four wins in conference tournament matches. Last season the Mean Green recorded a 2-1 overtime win in the regular season and a 2-0 win in the conference championship game in Mobile.
GAME DAY SPONSORS: The South Alabama women’s soccer team would like to extend a special thank you to this weekend’s game day sponsors: Longhorn Steakhouse, Pizza Hut and Arby’s.
