ABILENE – The Abilene Christian women's soccer team takes a 1-1 record to Joplin, Mo., this weekend for its last non-conference matches of the regular season against MIAA schools Nebraska-Kearney and Missouri Southern.
This weekend also starts a stretch in which ACU will play nine of its next 11 matches on the road. Last year's team; however, didn't seem to mind being away from Abilene as it compiled a 10-1 record between road and neutral sites.
The Wildcats first will face the Nebraska-Kearny Lopers Friday at 4 p.m. and then battle the Lions Sunday at noon. ACU is 2-2 all-time vs. the Mid-America schools with both losses coming against Missouri Southern in 2007 and 2008.
This year's Lions are off to a 0-1-1 start, which includes a 2-2 tie with Missouri-St. Louis and 4-1 loss at Quincy. The Lopers, meanwhile, are 1-1 after responding to a 3-0 loss to Southwest Minnesota State with a 3-2 win vs. Sioux Falls.
“These matches are extremely pivotal as we approach conference play,” said head coach
Casey Wilson. “And what we're looking to do this weekend is just to find the right formula and formation to get us where we need to be for the rest of the season…we also need to be a little more efficient with the ball.”
Last weekend for ACU was one of great frustration even during a 1-0 win over Our Lady of the Lake Sunday at the Wildcat Soccer Pitch. The Wildcats launched 28 shots vs. the Saints and placed 13 on target, but could not hit the back of the net until the closing minutes of regulation when senior defender
Lexi Stirling hooked in a free kick.
Leading up to then, ACU saw 12 shots saved by Saints goalkeeper Alyssa Mora, three blocked by defenders, and another ricochet off the cross bar.
But at least the Wildcats were able to create scoring opportunities in their second match of 2012, something they couldn't do at all in their season opener vs. a talented Dallas Baptist team that begins this week with a No. 9 national ranking.
ACU was held to five shots in its 2-0 loss against the Patriots – including one in the second half – and placed only two shots on goal. The Wildcat shot total marked the program's lowest tally since it recorded four during a NCAA postseason loss to St. Edward's in November of 2010.
“Dallas Baptist is always a difficult game for us and they're a tough team to beat,” senior goalkeeper
Arielle Moncure said. “They've always provided us with great competition, and because we ended their season a year ago they came out this time with a lot of fire. We also didn't play our best but we're still putting some things together and I'm confident that we'll soon hit our stride.”
Kearney is in its first year with the MIAA after spending its first three in the RMAC where it went a combined 12-39-5. The Lopers are led on offense by sophomore forward Ashtin Pawloski and on defense by returning starting goalkeeper Marissa Niday. Pawloski is the Lopers leading returning point scorer with 10. Niday started all 18 matches last year, posted a 1.86 GAA and made 89 saves.
The Missouri Southern program was established in 1999 and owns an all-time record of 98-120-30.
Last year's team was led on offense by Shannon Kuhn (17 points) and returning senior forward Megan Stueve (16 points), who has scored two of the Lions' three goals this year.
In goal for Missouri Southern this fall are sophomore Beth Hammons and junior Abby Risner. This pair split time in the net throughout last season, combining for 91 saves and a 1.73 GAA.
