GAME INFO
- Friday, Aug. 7 | 2 p.m. (CT) | Bowling Green, Ky. | WKU Soccer Complex
- The exhibition match will not be streamed.
- Live stats
ABOUT THE TOPS
- Friday's match is the second of two preseason exhibitions for the Hilltoppers. WKU faced off against Murray State on Wednesday, Aug. 5 at the WKU Soccer Complex. The score was even at halftime, but a dominant second half from the Hilltoppers secured the 4-1 win for WKU.
- Four different Hilltoppers scored in the exhibition against Murray State. WKU got on the scoreboard first with a goal from Danielle Lewin in the 10th minute. Kora Kipley found Lewin who fired the ball from just outside the box and sent it into the upper right corner out of the keeper's reach. In the 48th minute, April McDonald sent one to the back of the net off a corner kick pass from Georgia Liapis to give WKU the lead. That goal would prove to be the game-winner. Sophia Lezizidis scored an insurance goal in the 68th minute and Rose Finnegan added another in the 72nd minute. Maggie Bellair assisted on Lezizidis' goal and Kipley notched her second assist of the night on Finnegan's goal.
- WKU will officially open the 2026 season at home, facing Missouri on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7:00 PM.
- WKU finished last season with a 9-5-3 overall record and an unbeaten 6-0-2 record in Conference USA play, earning the CUSA regular season championship.
- The Hilltoppers return 17 players from the 2025 season, including 2025 CUSA Midfielder of the Year Georgia Liapis, 2025 CUSA Freshman of the Year Makenna Egan and 2025 All-CUSA first teamer Abby Wiedermann. Liapis scored the third most goals in CUSA last season, scoring a total of nine on the year. Egan scored five goals last season, the second most on the team.
- The WKU defense held opponents to 0.86 goals per game last season, the second-best mark in the league.
- The Hilltoppers are led by Jason Neidell in his 26th season on The Hill as the only head coach in WKU women's soccer history. Neidell earned CUSA Coach of the Year honors last season.
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
- Samford took down Ole Miss, 2-1, in a preseason exhibition on Wednesday evening. The Rebels had a 1-0 lead at halftime, but a 2-goal second half for the Bulldogs gave Samford the come-from-behind win. The first goal was scored by Avery Stevens on a penalty kick and the second was scored by Florida transfer Brinley Murphy.
- The Bulldogs were 13-3-5 on the season in 2025 with an unbeaten 7-0-2 record in conference play. Samford won the SoCon Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, facing Florida State in the first round.
- Sam De Luca was the leading scorer for Samford last season, scoring 15 goals in 2025. She returns for her senior season with the Bulldogs. Starting goalkeeper Peyton Hull also returns after notching 11 shutouts last season.
How to follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Soccer, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @WKU_Soccer on X and Instagram.
