Game Notes (.pdf)
Press Conference
Sun Belt Conference Tournament Headquarters
Bracket (.pdf)
Ticket Information
BOWLING GREEN, Ky.. - Western Kentucky University (11-4-3, 6-1-3) travels to Mobile, Ala. to open the 2012 Sun Belt Conference Tournament against Arkansas State (11-7-1, 5-4-1) on Wednesday at 1:00pm. The Lady Toppers enter postseason play with a six-game unbeaten streak, the longest such streak entering postseason play in program history.
WKU also enters the 2012 conference tournament with an impressive unbeaten streak in tournament play. WKU has not lost a tournament game since 2008, posting a 2-0-4 mark since losing in the 2008 championship game. WKU is seeking a third championship game appearance in five years this week.
WKU is seeking the first tournament championship in program history. WKU has reached the championship game twice and won the regular season championship in 2007.
WKU closed out the regular season by beating the top seed in this week's conference tournament, North Texas, 2-0 on Oct. 21 at home and tying No. 2 seed Middle Tennessee 1-1 in Murfreesboro on Oct. 26. WKU was 1-1-1 against the top three teams in the upcoming tournament during the regular season with the loss coming in overtime at FIU on Sept. 30.
Earlier this season, WKU posted a 2-0 win over Arkansas State. The Sept. 21 game was the conference opener for both squads. Senior Amanda Buechel (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored two goals for the Lady Toppers in the win. Buechel got her first goal on a set piece when Rymer placed a corner to the near post where Buechel deflected in the ball while being surrounded by multiple defenders. The goal came in the 52nd minute. Her second goal came just ten minutes later when Nicholette Sartori and Christen Sims contributed assists on the play.
Buechel and freshman Lauren Moats (Nixa, Mo.) led the Lady Toppers in scoring during conference play with five goals each. In all, 13 players had a hand in scoring for WKU in conference play, including nine goal scorers.
The WKU defense continues to shine. The Lady Toppers did not allow more than one goal in a conference game during the regular season and finished the year with a 0.50 goals against average after allowing just five goals. Senior Ali Stahlke (Naperville, Ill.), junior Stephanie Lindsey (Indianapolis, Ind.) and junior Torrie Lange (Florence, Ky.) have been keys to WKU's backline success. In goal, freshman Nikki Hall (Cincinnati, Ohio) is just the third WKU keeper to play the entire conference slate and has allowed multiple goals in a game just twice this season.
Arkansas State enjoyed its most successful season in program history. The Red Wolves finished with an 11-7-1 overall record and the most wins in schools history. ASU's 5-4-1 (.500) record in Sun Belt Conference play is also the team's best winning percentage in school history and the five conference wins are tied for the most in school history. ASU closed the regular season with a 3-1 win over in-state rival UALR. Christina Fink leads the Red Wolves with nine goals and seven assists this season. She is one of five players with at least four goals this season for ASU. In goal, Aja Aguire has a 1.20 GAA this season, having allowed 15 goals. She is 8-5-1 in goal this season.
In advance of the tournament, Sun Belt Conference postseason awards will be announced on Tuesday evening at the Sun Belt Conference Soccer Banquet in Mobile at Corpus Christi School.
For complete coverage of WKU Soccer, visit the official website of WKU Athletics at www.wkusports.com.
###
