The Lady Toppers enter the weekend with a record of 3-4-2 overall and 1-1 in the SBC. WKU looks to add two more conference wins this weekend as UALR currently sits 11th in the conference while Arkansas State is 10th. The Lady Toppers also hope to avenge a season-ending loss against Arkansas State in last year's Sun Belt Conference tournament.
After this weekend, the Lady Toppers will travel to Florida to take on FIU and FAU, before returning to the WKU Soccer Complex Oct. 15, against Louisiana-Monroe.
Match #10:
WKU (3-4-2, 1-1 SBC) vs. UALR (4-7, 0-2 SBC)
Friday, October 1 // 7:00 p.m.
Burns Park Soccer Complex // Little Rock, Ark.
Match #11:
WKU (3-4-2, 1-1 SBC) vs. Arkansas State (4-5-1, 0-2 SBC)
Sunday, October 3 // 1:00 p.m.
ASU Soccer Park (500) // Jonesboro, Ark.
•UALR NOTES: UALR returns nine starters to their 2010 squad with 12 letterwinners, while welcoming five newcomers. In 2009, the Trojans finished with an overall record of 9-12-1 and 4-6-1 in the SBC. UALR has opened their 2010 season with a record of 4-7 and 0-2 in the Sun Belt Conference. Last weekend the Trojans dropped their first two SBC matches in opening conference weekend against FIU Friday (0-3) and FAU Sunday (0-6). Eight players on the UALR squad have scored at least one goal this season. Leading with six goals on the season is junior forward, Christina Veasley. The Trojans have been outshot by opponents 185-138, and outscored in goals with 30 opponent goals to 14 Trojan goals.
•WKU-UALR REWIND: Friday's match will be the 10th time the two teams have met in competition. The Lady Toppers hold an 8-1 advantage over the Trojans. The one and only loss for WKU came in 2005 when the Lady Toppers lost on the road 1-2. The first time the two teams met was in 2001 when the Lady Toppers won 4-2 on the road. WKU currently has a four-match winning streak against the Trojans.
•RED WOLVES RAMBLINGS: Arkansas State returns 16 letterwinners and nine starters to their 2010 squad while welcoming eight newcomers. In 2009 the Red Wolves finished with an overall record of 8-10-3 and 5-5-1 in the Sun Belt Conference, finishing sixth. Arkansas State opened their 2010 season with a record of 4-5-1 overall and 0-2 in Sun Belt Conference action. Arkansas State will host Middle Tennessee Friday before battling the Lady Toppers on Sunday. Last weekend, Arkansas State went 0-2 in SBC action dropping contests to FAU Friday (0-1) and then FIU Sunday (0-1) in double overtime. Seven players have scored at least one goal this season for Arkansas State. Leading with three goals is junior forward Kelsey Finders. The Red Wolves have outshot opponents 136-110, with one less goal than opponents, 10-11.
•WKU-ARKANSAS STATE REWIND: Sunday's match-up will be the 11th time the two teams have met in competition. The Lady Toppers hold an advantage of 9-0-1 over Arkansas State. Last year the Lady Toppers battled the Red Wolves twice defeating them in the regular season 4-0 before meeting in the quarterfinals of the SBC tournament in Boca Raton, Fla. The Lady Toppers battled Arkansas State to a 1-1 stalemate after two overtime periods, but the Red Wolves advanced after a 4-2 shootout.
•NON-CONFERENCE PLAY: Overall the Lady Toppers have gone 47-26-7 in non-conference matches and 2-3-2 in 2010. In the opening season (2001) the Lady Toppers earned the most non-conference wins with eight. In 2009, WKU went 5-2-1 in non-conference matches.
•WEEKEND REVIEW: Last weekend, the Lady Toppers went 1-1 in the opening weekend of Sun Belt Conference action, defeating North Texas 1-0 for the third straight time. The match was held scoreless at the half before Lady Topper Christin Sims netted the game-winning goal in the 60th minute of action. The goal was Sims first of the season and the assist came from Mallory Outerbridge, her third assist of the season. WKU was outshot by North Texas 20-16, while WKU posted six shots on goal.
On Sunday afternoon the Lady Toppers battled Denver, dropping the contest 0-2. Denver scored their first goal with 10 seconds remaining in the first half to take the 1-0 lead. In the 66th minute of action Mallory Outerbridge came running up the middle, found an opening shot it on goal, with it looking to go in, a Denver defender came running through the net and made the save. Denver found the net once again in the 76th minute of play by Nicholette DiGiacomo up the middle. The Lady Toppers were outshot by Denver 13-11, but WKU posted six shots on goal to Denver's four. Leading the Lady Toppers in the match was Outerbridge with four shots and three on goal, while Meyer posted four shots as well with one on goal.
Junior goalkeeper Libby Stout played both matches posting 11 saves against North Texas and two against Denver. Stout earned her third shutout of the season against North Texas and now has 24 shutouts on her career. She now has a record of 2-3-2.
•RECORD BOOK: With nine games in the books for the season, junior forward Mallory Outerbridge and junior goalkeeper Libby Stout have moved up in the record books. Outerbridge now sits in fifth place for career goals with 18, three goals shy of fourth place held by former Lady Topper Kellie Walker (2006-09). Outerbridge has also moved to sixth place in career points with 45, three points shy of fifth place held by former Lady Topper Betsy Duncan (2001-04). In the single-match category, Outerbridge made her mark in third place with six points scored in the 4-0 victory over Evansville (9/3/10). At goal, Libby Stout holds a strong lead with 24 career shutouts. Stout sits in second for career saves with 204. Stout also holds second in the career win category with 27 wins, 10 shy of former Lady Topper Meredith Goodson (2004-07).
•MIX IT UP: With a squad boasting 21 sophomore and freshman and 10 junior and seniors there are numerous different combinations to be played. This season nine sophomore and freshman have started a match while eight others have seen the field, totaling 17 sophomore and freshman actively playing for the WKU Lady Toppers.
•SBC HONORS: Junior forward Mallory Outerbridge was honored September 7th as she was named Sun Belt Conference Soccer Player of the Week. Outerbridge posted two goals and two assists in the WKU 4-0 victory over Evansville. The two goals marked a career-high goals in a single match for Outerbridge. The two goals and two assists earned her six points in the match, a career-high points in a single match for Outerbridge. The six points also puts her tied for third on WKU's all-time single game points list. This was Outerbridge's first career player of the week award.
•SUN BELT CONFERENCE PRESEASON RESPECT: The All-Sun Belt Conference Preseason Team, released August 19 by the league, had two Lady Toppers voted to the team. Mallory Outerbridge and Libby Stout were chosen for the All-SBC Conference team for the second consecutive season. The complete All-Sun Belt Conference Preseason Team is listed on page 4.
•WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE: The coaches around the league seem to think the Lady Toppers are capable of challenging for the Sun Belt Conference championship. The Lady Toppers found themselves picked to finish third in the league for the second consecutive season, in the preseason coaches poll. Denver and FIU were picked ahead of the Lady Toppers. Nine points separated the Lady Toppers and the Panthers, while WKU trailed Denver by 22 points. The complete preseason coaches poll is listed on page 4.
•EXHIBITION ROTATION: The Lady Toppers took advantage of unlimited substitutions in two exhibition matches Aug. 13 and 15th. WKU hosted three-time defending Conference USA champions Memphis, Friday Aug. 13, ending in a 1-1 draw. Sunday afternoon, Aug. 15, the Lady Toppers defeated the Butler Bulldogs 1-0, in Indianapolis, Ind., with a first-half goal by Lindsey Goad. WKU outshot Butler, 15-5.
•A MIX OF NEW AND OLD: The 2010 Lady Topper squad has a blend of new and returning talent on the roster. Five of the 11 starters are back from the 2009 team, and the team welcomes 10 freshmen and one transfer. Graduate Assistant coach and former Lady Topper Leslie King transitions from the playing field to the coaching staff in 2010. King will assist with goalkeeping instruction and other team practice duties, along with administrative tasks.
•A "CHAMPIONSHIP EFFORT": The 2009 Lady Toppers set a school record for conference wins in a season with nine, eclipsing the previous record of eight (2007).
•NEXT UP: The Lady Toppers will travel to Florida to battle FIU Friday, October 8 and Florida Atlantic Sunday, October 10. The Lady Toppers return home October 15, taking on Louisiana-Lafayette at the WKU Soccer Complex.
