PORTALES, N.M. – The Eastern New Mexico women's soccer team is set to face off against Angelo State at 12 p.m. today at The Pitch in Canyon, Texas for the Lone Star Conference Championship.
LAST TIME OUT
The Hounds pulled off the biggest upset in program history on Friday when they defeated No. 19 ranked and top-seeded West Texas A&M 1-0 during the overtime period in the LSC Semifinal match.
In the 93rd minute of the overtime period, freshman forward Anahi Hernandez found Julia Tucker on a cross from the right side on a breakaway and she fired an open shot past the diving West Texas A&M keeper for game-winning goal.
SCOUTING THE BELLES
Angelo State enters the match as the LSC Tournament's second seed after finishing the regular season with an 8-3-1 mark in conference play and an 11-6-2 record overall.
In their semifinal matchup against No. 3 seed Texas Woman's, the Belles scored the game-winner in the 50th minute when LSC scoring leader Trenadey Scott managed to push across a shot after TWU goalkeeper Jazmine Maxwell made saves on back-to-back shots, but could not stop the third off the boot from Scott.
The Belles got a scare when it appeared Texas Woman's scored the equalizer in the 88th minute, but the goal was waved off due to an offsides call and the Belles hung on for the victory.
Angelo State enters the championship match as the second-most prolific offense in the Lone Star, scoring 36 goals in their 19 matches and rank second in the conference with a 0.74 scoring margin per match.
Scott leads the offensive efforts with 15 goals scored this season, which tops the conference and ranks 23rd in all of NCAA Division II.
Defensively, goalkeeper Kira Miller controls the net, giving up 1.119 goals per match and has a .825 save percentage.
HISTORY WITH THE BELLES
The Hounds will be looking to snap a bitter history with the Belles as Angelo is 20-3-1 in the all-time series and has won 11 straight.
However, Eastern gave Angelo State one of their toughest matches of the season in their last meetup. The two teams met just a week ago on Oct. 28 and despite losing 1-0 to the Belles, the Hounds defense limited ASU to a season-low two shots and one shot on-goal. After ASU scored the early goal in the third minute, Eastern controlled the pace of the match, outshooting the Belles by a 12-2 margin and a 5-1 edge in shots on-goal.
"TUCKER"ED OUT
Eastern New Mexico had the Lady Buffs number in the overtime period as West Texas A&M was playing in only their third overtime match of the season. However, the result was not something that was expected as the Lady Buffs had played to a scoreless draw with Angelo State on Oct. 7 and pulled out a 2-1 victory in double overtime against Midwestern State on Oct. 14.
The player that pulled it off was none other than Tucker, who scored just her second goal of the season. Her first came late in the second half in a 2-0 victory over Midwestern State on Oct. 12.
BEND, BUT DON'T BREAK
While the ENMU defense is giving up more shots during the LSC Tournament, giving up just 10.2 shots per match during the regular season and 18.5 shots per game during the first two rounds of the tournament, the Hounds defense still has not conceded a goal in either matchup.
Of the 37 shots taken against them, only nine have been on-goal and freshman goalkeeper Taylor Jackson has saved all nine shots.
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
The Hounds are competing in their first ever Lone Star Conference Championship after pulling off their first ever victory in the semifinal round. If the Hounds prevail, they will receive an automatic bid to their first ever NCAA Division II South Central Regional Tournament.
