CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Southern Utah University women's soccer team will travel to Las Cruces, New Mexico for a showdown against conference-leading New Mexico State on Friday evening at 7 p.m. MT.
Game Info
Southern Utah vs New Mexico State
Date: October 7, 2022
Kickoff: 7 PM MT
Location: Las Cruces, New Mexico
Stream: WAC International Network
Live Stream | Live Stats
Preview
The Thunderbirds have played just 45 minutes of gametime over the last 11 days, as their lone match against in-state foe Utah Tech was postponed at halftime due to weather conditions in the area. While SUU has been off, the Aggies moved to the forefront of the conference standings after picking up back-to-back wins over Tarleton State and ACU last weekend.
New Mexico State boasts an overall record of 6-3-3, with impressive non-conference wins against UTEP and Nevada, along with a 2-2 tie against Cal State Fullerton. The Aggies' only two non-conference losses came against Pac-12 opponent Oregon and SEC foe Texas A&M. NMSU has been even more impressive in WAC play, earning victories over ACU, Tarleton, and UTRGV, while securing ties against Seattle U and Utah Valley. The Aggies' lone conference loss came at the hands of Stephen F. Austin.
New Mexico State has one of the most formidable offenses in the conference this season, scoring 22 goals, which ranks as third most in the WAC. The Aggies have relied heavily on their midfield, as they boast one of the strongest in the WAC, with Loma McNeese, Bianca Chacon, and Xitaly Hernandez leading the charge. The trio has had an exceptional season, combining to record 10 goals and 15 assists. Hernandez currently leads the entire conference in assists this season, already recording seven this year. McNeese is currently in a tie for fourth in the WAC with five goals, and Chacon sits right behind her in a tie for eighth overall with four goals.
In the net, fifth-year goalkeeper Makenna Gottschalk has started all 12 games for the Aggies this season, and she is tied for third in the conference in both save percentage (.828) and goals against average (0.83).
The Thunderbirds are one of only three remaining unbeaten teams in the WAC at 3-0-1, as they currently sit in a tie for second place alongside Utah Tech and Utah Valley.
Southern Utah leads the conference in both scoring this season (28 goals) and goal differential (+23), and they rank tied for first in goals allowed (5). Megan Short has been stellar in the net for the T-Birds this year, as she currently ranks first in the conference in save percentage and second in goals against average. Short's save percentage of .898 is the eighth best in the entire country.
Offensively, the Thunderbirds have had a number of contributors, with nine different players scoring at least one goal and 13 different players recording at least one assist.
Whitney Wangsgard has led the way, scoring five goals and recording four assists to total 14 points, which ranks as third highest in the WAC. Sammie Sofonia still leads the team in goals with six, placing her in a tie for second overall in the conference, and Kate Schirmer is currently third on the team and in a tie for eighth in the league with four goals of her own.
The Southern Utah midfield, composed of Hailey Hamtaka, Addison Larsen, and Natalia Sepulveda, will need to have an excellent match and rival the Aggies impressive trio of midfielders on Friday evening if the Thunderbirds hope to extend their record setting start to conference play.
History
The Thunderbirds and Aggies have only faced off once on the soccer pitch, with New Mexico State claiming a 1-0 victory over SUU in 2012.
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