BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- WKU will look to extend its three-match winning streak in a C-USA clash on Thursday evening as Southern Miss makes the trip to the WKU Soccer Complex at 7 p.m.
All WKU staff and faculty will receive two complimentary tickets to Thursday's night match as part of Faculty/Staff Night. In addition, all Hilltopper Athletic Foundation members will also receive two free tickets, and all area girl scouts will receive free admission with additional tickets available for $3 for friends and family.
The Lady Toppers (6-3-0) enter with a 353-minute shutout streak, the eighth-longest active mark in the nation heading into this week's matches. WKU has not conceded a goal since the sixth minute against LSU on Sept. 8 and have given up just eight goals across nine matches thus far in 2016.
Goalkeeper Allison Leone has played a pivotal role as part of the Lady Topper defense, totaling three solo shutouts and contributing to a fourth this season. The junior has made 23 saves and owns a goals against average of 0.74, the third-lowest mark in C-USA. With her trio of shutouts, Leone has also moved into second place on WKU's career charts with 16 clean sheets, trailing only WKU great Libby Stout.
On defense, WKU boasts the two most recent C-USA Defensive Players of the Week in Olivia Fitzgerald and Makenzie Costner. The pair have the most minutes played among field players for the Lady Toppers this season, as Fitzgerald has seen 805 minutes of action while Costner has been on the pitch for 643 minutes. The two have helped to hold five of WKU's last six opponents to three shots on goal or fewer, with the Lady Toppers leading in that category by a 41-11 margin over that same span.
Chandler Backes continues to lead the WKU attack and all of C-USA with eight goals in her debut season, including the match-winner at Marshall in the conference opener for both teams last Thursday. Bria Mosley (three), Sarah Gorham (two) and Iris Dunn (two) have also netted multiple scores for WKU in 2016. After scoring just 20 goals during the 2015 campaign, WKU has already surpassed that mark in 2016, finding the back of the net 21 times over the first nine matches.
Southern Miss (5-2-0) fell, 3-0, against Louisiana Tech in their most recent match last Sunday in the C-USA opener for both sides. The Golden Eagles are led by Bri Schubeck's four goals, and Katie Richmond (three), Becky McMullan (two) and Monica Maldonado (two) have also tallied multiple scores.
In goal, Brittany Taylor has started all seven matches and earned a pair of solo shutouts. Taylor owns 34 saves in 2016 and a goals against average of 0.80 over 562 minutes of action. In addition to Taylor's two solo shutouts, Southern Miss goalkeepers have combined for two more for a total of four on the year.
In the only other meeting against the Golden Eagles, WKU earned a 2-0 victory on Oct. 26, 2014, in Hattiesburg, Miss. Dunn scored the match-winning goal in the 54th minute to down Southern Miss in that C-USA matchup.
Following Thursday's match, WKU will be off for just over a week before traveling to Houston, Texas, to face Rice on Friday, Sept. 30. The Lady Toppers will be seeking their first victory in program history against the Owls during the clash.
Season tickets are available online at WKUSports.com or by phone at 1-800-5-BIGRED. A $25 flexible ticket package is available that includes all five remaining regular season home matches against Southern Miss, Middle Tennessee, UAB, UTSA and Old Dominion.
For more information on WKU Soccer, visit WKUSports.com or follow the team via social media @WKU_Soccer on Twitter and on Facebook at facebook.com/WKUAthletics.
