Women's Soccer Aug 31

Mustangs Set For Hoosier Challenge Cup

Hoosier Challenge Cup -- Tournament Central
SMU (2-0-0, 0-0-0The American) vs. Butler ( 2-1-0, 0-0 Big East)
Date & Kickoff Time	Fri., Sept. 2 at 12:30 pm ET/11:30 a.m. CT
Location	Bill Armstrong Stadium - Bloomington, Ind.
Live Stats	Live Stats
SMU (2-0-0, 0-0-0The American) at Indiana ( 2-1-0, 0-0 Big 10)
Date & Kickoff Time	Mon., Sept. 5 at 1 pm ET /12 CT
Location	Bill Armstrong Stadium - Bloomington, Ind.
Video / Audio	BTN2Go / Audio
Live Stats	Live Stats
Tickets	Free Admission
Game Info	Game Notes (.pdf)
Facebook	SMU WSOC \| SMU Mustangs
Twitter	@SMUSoccerW \| @SMUMustangs

The SMU women's soccer team heads to Bloomington, Indiana, to compete in the Hoosier Challenge Cup. The Mustangs open play against Butler Friday at 12:30 ET/11:30 a.m. CT, before squaring off against host-school Indiana on Mon., Sept. 5 at 1 p.m. ET/12 CT. The game versus Butler can be followed via live stats, while the match against Indiana can be seen on BTN2GO. Links and further details about the tournament can be found on SMUMustangs.com.

SCOUTING SMU: The Mustangs enter the Hoosier Challenge Cup with a 2-0-0 record after another dominating win, a 9-0 rout over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Sunday night. After just two games this season, SMU leads all NCAA DI programs in scoring offense (8.50 per game) and points per game (23.00), while tied for first with Brown in assists per game (6.00). The Mustangs check in at No. 2 in the country for total goals (17), shots on goal per game (21.50) and shots per game (35.50).SMU leads the American Athletic Conference in points, goals, goals per game, assists, and assists per game, and is tied for first in goals against average with Houston. Freshman forward Allie Thornton leads the team with four goals, nine points and eight shots on goal. She is tied for first with Vanessa Valadez with 11 total shots. The forward is averaging a 72.7 shots on goal percentage (8-for-11), scoring on 36.4 percent of her shots (4-of-11).

ABOUT BUTLER: Butler is 2-1-1 overall, after the Bulldogs posted a 2-0 victory against Akron on Sunday afternoon. As a team, Butler is averaging 1.00 goals per games, while holding opponents to a .50 average. When the Bulldogs shoot, they shoot accurately averaging a 55.6 shot on goal percentage (30-of-54). Butler is first in the Big East in offside penalties (15) and second in the league in goals allowed (2, 0.50/game) and goals against average (.46). Three players on the Butler roster have scored, including Serina Kashimoto who leads the team with two goals. Kashimoto was named to the 2016 Women's MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List (NSCAA). As a junior, Kashimoto was named First Team All-BIG EAST, First Team All-Northeast Region, and Second Team All-America.

SERIES: The Mustangs and Bulldogs have never met before.

SCOUTING INDIANA: The Hoosiers are 2-1-1 after winning back-to-back games at the end of week two. Indiana has scored five goals in four games, an average of 1.25 goals per game. With 17 shots on goal, the Hoosiers are averaging a 34.7 shots on goal percentage. Indiana opponents have outshot the Hoosiers, 64-49, recorded more shots on goal (24-17), and are averaging 3.8 more shots per game (16.0-12.2). Goalkeeper Sarah L'Hommedieu was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week after a pair of shutout victories and 14 total saves against Butler and Northern Colorado.

SERIES: The Mustangs hold a 1-0-0 edge all-time over Indiana after a 5-0 shutout at the Collegiate America's Cup in St. Louis on Sept. 17, 1995.

LAST TIME OUT: For the second straight game, the SMU women's soccer team dominated from start to finish, as the Mustangs rolled to a 9-0 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Sunday night at Westcott Field. SMU had seven different goal scorers, including freshman Allie Thornton and redshirt freshman Hannah Fleet, who led the charge with two goals apiece. SMU (2-0-0) scored six goals in the first half and three in the second. The Mustangs fired 28 total shots, with 20 on goal. The SMU defense allowed only five Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (0-4-0) shots, with zero on frame.

UP NEXT: Following the Hoosier Challenge Cup, the Mustangs head to Provo, Utah, to take on No. 10/16 BYU. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT/7 p.m. MT and can be seen on BYUtv. The Cougars are 2-1-0 overall with games against Tennessee and Utah before seeing SMU.

BIG WINS: SMU scored nine goals in its season opener over Northwestern State, marking the 59th time in program history that the Mustangs have scored five or more goals in a game. When SMU scores at least five goals, the Mustangs hold an undefeated 59-0-0 record, and have posted a clean sheet 36 times. The last time SMU scored nine goals was on Aug. 29, 2003 when the Mustangs scored 10 goals at Sam Houston State. SMU went on to win the game, 10-1.

HEAD COACH CHRIS PETRUCELLI: Two-time National Coach of the Year and 1995 NCAA Championship Coach Chris Petrucelli enters his fifth season (2016) as SMU Head Women's Soccer Coach. A veteran of 20-plus years as a head coach, Petrucelli was named the NSCAA National Coach of the Year in both 1994 and 1995 and was lauded as the NSCAA Central Region Coach of the Year in both 2002 and 2006. In 26 years as a head coach, Petrucelli has compiled a 372-151-44 (.697) record. His record at SMU is 32-41-8 (.444).

ALLIE THORNTON: Freshman forward Allie Thornton leads the team with nine points and eight shots on goal, and is tied with Vanessa Valadez for first with 11 shots. The forward is averaging a 72.7 shots on goal percentage (8-11), scoring on 36.4 percent of her shots (4-11). In The American, she is ranks first in points, points per game (4.5), goals and goals per game (2.0). She is tied for first with Valadez in shots per game (5.50).

TAYLOR BARG: Since her arrival on the Hilltop, she has played and started all 60 games for the Mustangs. As a dynamic playmaker in the backfield, in 2015 Barg was third on the team in minutes played (1,624), played 90 minutes or more in 15 games and helped seal two shutout victories a season ago. In the classroom, was named to the 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-District Seven Women's Soccer Second Team.

WESTCOTT FIELD: Since opening in 1994, SMU holds a .715 winning percentage (149-54-18) at Westcott Field. In 22 seasons at Westcott, the Mustangs have finished .500 or better in 20 seasons, with three perfect seasons.

CAREER GOALS/ASSISTS:
Player                          G         A
Vanessa Valadez        11         7
Claire Oates                11        2
Paige Jacobs               7          3
Lauren Guerra             7          2
Kelsey Gorney             7          1
Taylor Barg                  4          10
Haley Thompson         4          2
Allie Thornton              4          1
Hannah Fleet               4          0
Bari Kesner                  2          2
Taylor Jackson             2          1
Blair Thorpe                 1          6
Lauren Harrington        1          2
Robyn Maurer              1          0
Jessica Cooley             0          2
Avery Ortmann             1          1
Hailey Bishop               0          1
Katina Tsapos              0          1

ROSTER: Of the 25 woman roster, 16 members are in their freshman or sophomore year of eligibility, while sporting just five seniors. The Mustangs brought in 10 freshman. SMU returns eight starters including five (Vanessa Valadez, Claire Oates, Taylor Barg, Taylor Jackson and Kelsey Gorney) who started every game in 2015. Hannah Fleet returns to the pitch in 2016 after suffering a season ending injury last season. Fleet, a redshirt freshman, scored her second career goal in the 63rd minute against Northwestern State in her first game back from injury.

SCHEDULE: The SMU women's soccer team will play 19 regular season games, with 11 at Westcott Field. The Mustangs will face six opponents that appeared in the 2015 NCAA Tournament, Butler, BYU, Washington, UCF, Connecticut and Cincinnati.

AAC POLL: The SMU women's soccer team has been picked to finish eighth in the American Athletic Conference for the 2016 season. SMU received 20 votes and finished ahead of Houston in the poll. Defending champion Connecticut was the unanimous selection for first place, garnering 81 total points, and nine first-place votes. For the second season in a row, junior Claire Oates was named to the AAC Preseason All-Conference team.

2015 SEASON REVIEW: In 2015, the Mustangs finished 5-10-3 overall, and ninth in the American Athletic Conference with a 2-6-1 conference mark. SMU recorded all five victories (5-5-1 record) at Westcott Field, where the Mustangs converted 19 of its 25 goals. While at Westcott, the Mustangs topped opponents in goals (19-15), shot attempts (154-82), goals scored per game (+.37) and shots per game (+6.5). Vanessa Valadez was named to the AAC All-Rookie team after leading the Mustangs in goals (8), points (20), shots (42) and shots on goal (20), while tying Blair Thorpe and Lissi Lonsberry for the most assists (4). Claire Oates earned All-AAC Second Team honors.

SMU ATHLETICS, SOCCER PROGRAMS TO SEE FACE LIFT: SMU recently announced plans to construct a new Indoor Performance Center, an outdoor natural grass football practice field and a new soccer stadium, another sign of the University's commitment to competing at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics. These plans come on the heels of amazing success during SMU's Second Century Campaign, when SMU Athletics secured more than $191 million in gift commitments, and after 18 months of careful planning and design. The new soccer stadium, to be used by SMU's men's and women's soccer teams, will be located on Mockingbird Lane, the site of the current practice fields.

Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Mustangs by following SMU women's soccer on Twitter at @SMUSoccerW, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SMUSoccerw, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/SMUSoccerW. Twitter at @SMUMustangs or Instagram at SMU.Mustangs.

--SMUMustangs.com--

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Players Mentioned

#19 Lissi Lonsberry: Forward; 5' 8"; SR; SR-3L

#3 Taylor Barg: D; 5' 5"; SR; JR-2L

#12 Hannah Fleet: MF/F; 5' 10"; RS FR; FR-HS

#9 Kelsey Gorney: MF; 5' 3"; SR; JR-2L

#8 Lauren Guerra: F; 5' 8"; JR; SO-1L

#16 Lauren Harrington: D; 5' 4"; JR; SO-1L

#7 Taylor Jackson: D; 5' 7"; SR; JR-2L

#19 Paige Jacobs: M; 5' 8"; SR; JR-2L

#24 Bari Kesner: F; 5' 10"; SR; JR-2L

#18 Claire Oates: MF; 6' 0"; JR; SO-1L

#11 Haley Thompson: D; 5' 9"; SO; FR-HS

#10 Blair Thorpe: MF; 5' 9"; SO; FR-HS

Players Mentioned

#19 Lissi Lonsberry
: 5' 8"; SR; SR-3L
: Forward

#3 Taylor Barg
: 5' 5"; SR; JR-2L
: D

#12 Hannah Fleet
: 5' 10"; RS FR; FR-HS
: MF/F

#9 Kelsey Gorney
: 5' 3"; SR; JR-2L
: MF

#8 Lauren Guerra
: 5' 8"; JR; SO-1L
: F

#16 Lauren Harrington
: 5' 4"; JR; SO-1L
: D

#7 Taylor Jackson
: 5' 7"; SR; JR-2L
: D

#19 Paige Jacobs
: 5' 8"; SR; JR-2L
: M

#24 Bari Kesner
: 5' 10"; SR; JR-2L
: F

#18 Claire Oates
: 6' 0"; JR; SO-1L
: MF

#11 Haley Thompson
: 5' 9"; SO; FR-HS
: D

#10 Blair Thorpe
: 5' 9"; SO; FR-HS
: MF