Currently amidst a four-match unbeaten streak, the No. 22 SMU women's soccer team faces Sam Houston State on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Westcott Field. The match can be seen on PonyUp TV, with live stats on SMUMustangs.com
QUICK HITS:
> SMU is ranked No. 22 in the United Soccer Coaches' Poll and receiving votes on TopDrawer
> First time ranked in top-25 since Oct. 17, 2006 (Ponies were No. 22 in ADIDAS/NSCAA poll)
> SMU is ranked fourth in the Southeast Region Poll
> SMU remains unbeaten through the first four games since 2001 (4-0 to open 2001)
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Claire Oates leads the Mustangs with two goals (Valadez, Nashmi each have one)
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Allie Thornton leads the team with 17 shots, 6 shots on goal
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Isabelle Nashmi recorded her first career goal and first career assist at Washington
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Catie Brown named AAC Goalkeeper of the Week (Aug. 28); Nashmi to Honor Roll
> Win vs No. 17 Arkansas marks the second consecutive year beating a top-25 opponent
(Sept. 29, 2016, 1-0 at No. 15 USF; Sept. 18, 2017, 1-0 vs. No. 17 Arkansas)
> First time beating a top-25 team on opening day in program history
> First home win vs. a top-25 team since Sept. 23, 2011 (1-0 vs. No. 19 UCF)
> The Mustangs were picked to finish second in the American Athletic Conference
> Thornton, Oates (10 g each) and Valadez (9 g) were named Preseason All-Conference
> 2016 final marks: 13-7-2, 6-2-1 AAC
> 2016 American Athletic Conference Tournament Runner-up; NCAA First Round
> 2016 was SMU's first NCAA tournament since 2006
> SMU finished the 2016 season in the top 25 in six NCAA statistical categories
ABOUT SMU: Following a 2-1 overtime win at Washington Sunday afternoon, the No. 22-ranked Mustangs enter Thursday's match with a 2-0-2 record.
Claire Oates leads the Mustangs with two goals this season, while
Vanessa Valadez and
Isabelle Nashmi each scored their first of the 2017 campaign at Washington. The Mustangs are ranked No. 22 in the latest United Soccer Coaches' Poll, after receiving 62 votes (No. 27 nationally) the week before. SMU is one of 66 teams nationally to remain undefeated entering the third week of play. Under the direction of sixth-year head coach
Chris Petrucelli, SMU returns 17 student-athletes, including nine starters from its 2016 squad. SMU finished 2016 with a 13-7-2 record (6-2-1 AAC), en route to an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2006. The Mustangs finished third in the regular season, before finishing runner-up in the AAC Conference Tournament.
LAST TIME OUT (W, 2-1 (OT) at Washington): SEATTLE (SMU) – A goal by
Vanessa Valadez in the 100th minute, propelled the [RV] SMU women's soccer team to a 2-1 win at Washington Sunday afternoon. The Mustangs remain undefeated and improved to 2-0-2 on the season. With 15 seconds left in the first overtime period, freshman
Isabelle Nashmi split two Washington (2-2-0) midfielders and found senior
Lauren Harrington. With space, Harrington sent a through-ball behind the Husky backline and found a crashing Valadez. With nine seconds remaining, the redshirt junior sent a first-touch shot from seven yards out past the diving goalkeeper to send the Mustangs home with the win. Nashmi and Harrington each record their first assists of the year, while Valadez scored her first goal of the season. In the 29th minute, Washington's Anissa Dadkhah opened scoring as she managed to collect and finish a loose ball. Shannon Simon's cross into the box was blocked by an SMU defender but fell right to the feet of Dadkhah, who finished from 17 yards out. In the 58th minute, Nashmi scored her first career goal to equalize the game at 1-1. Senior
Claire Oates sent a long pass from SMU's defensive third to Nashmi, who headed the ball over the Washington defensive line. With the Washington defenders slowing up to allow the goalkeeper to wrangle it in, Nasmi broke through the line, collected the loose ball, and sent a first-time, left-footed shot into the net. SMU controlled the second half offensively taking 10 of its 14 total shots, while allowing just one. The offensive pressure forced sevens second-half corner kicks and five saves. Defensively, the Mustangs allowed 10 shots, while allowing just two on frame. SMU also allowed just one corner kick, while taking eight.
SCOUTING SAM HOUSTON STATE: The Bearkats enter Thursday's match with a 2-1-0 record after an 8-0 win against Jackson State Thursday. The match Sunday against Rice was cancelled due to Hurricane Harvey. In 2016, Sam Houston State finished with a 2-16-1 mark, including a 2-8-1 record in the Southland. Entering 2017, SHSU was picked to finish ninth in the Southland. This year's squad features a number of new faces highlighted by the addition of eight freshmen and four transfers. The newcomers join 15 returning letterwinners including four starters. The Bearkats have scored 13 goals through three games, two shy of 2016's mark of 15. Six different players have scored goals for SHSU, including Beryl Smith. Smith, an Oklahoma State transfer, leads the team in points (8) and goals (4). Carlota-Suarez Crespo is second on the team in points (6) and goals (3).
ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST THE BEARKATS: In head-to-head matchups between SMU and Sam Houston State, SMU is 6-0-0 all-time. SMU opened the series with a 10-1 win in Huntsville, Texas, on Aug 29, 2003. In 2015, the Ponies won the most recent meeting 3-1 in Dallas. The Mustangs are 4-0 all-time at home against the Bearkats.
Sam Houston State – 6-0
H: 4-0, A: 2-0, N: 0-0
2003 A29 A W 10-1
2004 S10 H W 7-2
2006 A31 A W 5-0
2007 S28 H W 4-0
2008 S16 H W 4-0
2015 S11 H W 3-1
LAST TIME AGAINST THE BEARKATS (W, 3-1 at SMU on Sept. 11, 2015): DALLAS (SMU) – Paige Jacobs scored two goals in the SMU women's soccer team's victory over Sam Houston State. Forward
Lauren Guerra also scored in the 3-1 win over the Bearkats. Jacobs now has three goals on the season and has scored in two straight matches. Her 17th minute goal was reminiscent of her first-time strike against Maryland on Sept. 6. With the match scoreless,
Vanessa Valadez crossed the ball just before going over the end line, and Jacobs put it past the Sam Houston State goalkeeper to give the Mustangs the lead. Jacobs would give SMU the 2-0 lead early in the second half off another cross, this time from Lonsberry and Valadez. SMU held possession of the ball for the majority of the match, and were constantly on the Bearkats side of the field. The Mustangs outshot Sam Houston State, 17-3. Assisting on all three goals was Valadez, who now has four assists on the season. Valadez, who is coming off a season ending injury a year ago, is tied for the points lead with Jacobs with eight. Guerra, who was selected to the American Athletic Conference Honors' Honor Roll for her play against Rice and Maryland last week, scored her third goal of the season in the 63rd minute. Guerra has now scored in three of her last four matches, and has earned points in all four. In the closing minutes of the first half, the Mustang's
Claire Oates made three header attempts on goal in a row. Oates has scored twice off headers this season, and finished with five shots in the match. Lonsberry, despite not getting a shot on goal, was very impressive in the first half consistently getting by Bearkat defenders. Her two assists so far in 2015, are a single-season high for the senior. Sam Houston State's goal came via header by Jordan Jarzombek in the 52nd minute, just 21 seconds after Jacobs' put the Mustangs up 2-0. SMU improves to 6-0 all-time against Sam Houston State and will look to carry its momentum over to Sunday, when the Mustangs take on Northwestern State at 1 p.m. at Westcott Field.
UP NEXT: Following Sam Houston State, SMU will a week off before taking on Indiana on Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. The match against the Hoosiers is the second game of a four-match homestand.
CRACKING THE TOP: The SMU women's soccer team is ranked No. 22 in the latest United Soccer Coaches' Poll. The Mustangs, 2-0-2, are one of 66 teams nationally to remain undefeated entering the third week of play. After receiving 62 votes in the first weekly poll, the Mustangs jumped to No. 22 following a 1-0-1 road trip to the Pacific Northwest. SMU opened the trip with a 1-1 draw at Gonzaga, before a 2-1 overtime victory at Washington. The Mustangs opened the season with a pair of shutouts against nationally ranked opponents, a 1-0 overtime win against then-No. 17 Arkansas, before a 0-0 draw against then-No. 16 Oklahoma. SMU allowed a combined 16 total shots to the ranked teams and seven shots on goal. The last time the Mustangs were ranked in the national polls was Oct. 17, 2006, when the Ponies were selected No. 22 in the ADIDAS/NSCAA poll.
COACHING CORNER: Two-time National Coach of the Year and 1995 NCAA Championship Coach
Chris Petrucelli enters his sixth season (2017) 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 his 28th season as a head coach, Petrucelli has compiled a 385-158-48 (.697) record.
WINNER, WINNER!: Senior midfielder
Claire Oates netted a game-winning header in the 97th minute to propel the SMU women's soccer team to a 1-0 overtime win against No. 17 Arkansas Friday at Westcott Field. The 6-foot senior from Long Beach, Calif., scored 10 goals in 2016, six for game-winners. The six game-winning goals from a season ago ranked her at ninth in the NCAA.
KEEP YOUR HEAD ABOUT YA: Senior midfielder
Claire Oates has two header goals in 2017.
1 - 97' vs. No. 17 Arkansas (W, 1-0 OT)
2 - 79' at Gonzaga (D, 1-1)
THOR(NTON)'S HAMMER: Through four games, sophomore
Allie Thornton leads SMU with 17 shots and six shots on goal. Against No. 16 Oklahoma, the striking midfielder registered eight shots, equaling Oklahoma's team shots total, with three on frame. In 2016, she finished the season tied with a team-high 10 goals and was second on the team with 23 points. Thornton was the first player since Olivia O'Rear (13) in 2006 to score at least 10 goals in a single-season, and the first since Kimber Bailey (2004, 11) to score 10 or more goals in her freshman year. The 10 goals ranks tied for eight on the SMU All-time goals by a freshman list.
SHARING THE WEALTH: SMU tallied 45 assist in 2016, eclipsing the 2015 total of 21.
Jessica Cooley,
Haley Thompson and
Vanessa Valadez each tallied a team-high eight assists. SMU finished 17th nationally in assists and 24th in assists per game (2.05).
PUT IT ON THE BOARD: The SMU women's soccer team is 1-0-0 when scoring first. In 2016, the Mustangs were 9-0-0 when scoring first.
LOOKING AT 400: The 2-1 overtime victory at Washington was the 398th victory in SMU program history. Since the beginning of the program in 1986, the program record is 398-204-47 (.649). The Mustangs have been coached by six different coaches over that span.
BIG WINS: SMU scored six goals against Abilene Christian in 2016 marking the 60th 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 60-0-0 record, and have posted a clean sheet 36 times.
2017 AAC HONORS:
Catie Brown – Goalkeeper of the Week (Aug. 28)
Isabelle Nashmi – Weekly Honor Roll (Aug. 28)
2017 AAC PRESEASON HONORS: The Mustangs were picked to finish second in the American Athletic Conference, receiving three of 10 first place votes by the league's coaches. SMU returns nine of 11 starters from 2016, including three members of the preseason all-conference team:
Claire Oates,
Vanessa Valadez and
Allie Thornton. The trio finished top three in scoring in 2016, with Oates and Thornton leading the way with 10 goals apiece, while Valadez netted nine. Thornton and Valadez were named to the 2016 AAC all-conference first team, while Oates garnered second team honors. Thornton was also named to The American all-rookie team.
2016 AAC HONORS: SMU head coach
Chris Petrucelli was name the American Athletic Conference Co-Coach of the Year, and five student-athletes were named to AAC All-Conference teams. Following the AAC Championship, four members were named to the AAC All-Tournament Team
First Team:
Allie Thornton &
Vanessa Valadez
Second Team:
Taylor Barg &
Claire Oates
Rookie Team:
Allie Thornton &
Jessica Cooley
All-Tournament:
Catie Brown,
Claire Oates,
Allie Thornton,
Vanessa Valadez
WESTCOTT FIELD: SMU clinched a winning season at Westcott Field in 2016 for the second consecutive season. Since opening in 1994, SMU holds a .717 winning percentage (155-55-20) at Westcott Field. In 23 seasons at Westcott, the Mustangs have finished .500 or better in 21 seasons, with three perfect seasons.
FREE SOCCER!: Adding to its menu of free, family-friendly events, SMU Athletics will now offer free admission to all Mustang soccer matches beginning this fall. The soccer programs are among 11 SMU sports that offer free admission. Others include volleyball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's golf, rowing and equestrian. SMU will host a combined 22 matches at Westcott Field, 12 women's games and 10 men's games. The women's team will open the 2017 campaign at Westcott Field against Arkansas on Friday, Aug. 18, before hosting Oklahoma on Aug. 20. The men's team will play three straight home contests to open the season, starting with UC Davis on Friday, Aug. 25.
NCAA RECOGNITION AWARD: SMU women's soccer was one of two SMU athletic programs to earn Public Recognition Awards for their latest multi-year NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rates (APR). This is the second time the women's soccer team has achieved the honor (2013-14, 2015-16). The APR is an annual scorecard of academic achievement calculated for all Division I sports teams and provides a real-time look at a team's academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete on scholarship. The APR accounts for eligibility, retention and graduation, and provides a measure of each team's academic performance.
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. Follow SMU Athletics via Facebook at /SMUMustangs, Twitter at @SMUMustangs or Instagram at SMU.Mustangs.
