Friday, September 8
Dallas, Texas
7 p.m.
SMU
vs
Indiana
No. 23 SMU Hosts Indiana Friday at 7 p.m.
Sep 6 | Women's Soccer
SMU Game Notes | Indiana NotesÂ
Watch (PonyUp TV) |Â Live StatsÂ
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Following a 4-1 victory against Sam Houston State to extend the unbeaten streak to five matches, the No. 23 SMU women's soccer team hosts Indiana Friday night at Westcott Field. The match can be seen on PonyUp TV, with live stats on SMUMustangs.com
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QUICK HITS:
> SMU is ranked No. 23 in the United Soccer Coaches' Poll and RV on TopDrawer
> SMU is ranked fifth in the Southeast Region Poll
> Unbeaten through the first 5 games since 1995 (Finished 23-1-1, lost in College Cup)
> SMU has 399 wins in program history. Since 1986, 399-204-47 (.650)
> Vanessa Valadez leads the Mustangs with three goals
> Allie Thornton leads the team with 22 shots, 9 shots on goal
> Isabelle Nashmi recorded her first career goal and first career assist at Washington
> 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
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ABOUT SMU: Following a 4-1 win against Sam Houston State, the 23rd-ranked Mustangs enter Friday's match with a 3-0-2 record. Vanessa Valadez leads the team with three goals this season, following two against the Bearkats. Claire Oates has tallied two goals, while three players have one apiece. The Mustangs are ranked in the United Soccer Coaches' Poll for the second straight week, coming in at No. 23. SMU is one of 29 teams nationally to remain undefeated entering the fourth 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.
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LAST TIME OUT (W, 4-1 at SMU): DALLAS (SMU) – The 22nd-ranked SMU women's soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to five matches, following a dominant 4-1 win against Sam Houston State. Vanessa Valadez scored two goals, as the Mustangs open the season without a loss through the first five matches for the third time in program history. With the win, the Mustangs improve to 3-0-2 on the season, while Sam Houston State evens its record at 2-2-0. Sophomore Allie Thornton opened scoring in the 8th minute of the contest to give SMU an early 1-0 lead. Senior Lauren Harrington started the scoring opportunity after breaking away from defenders on the nearside and feeding a pass to Isabelle Nashmi. With time, the freshman midfielder carried the ball 10 yards before laying a pass off to a crashing Thornton. Uncontested, Thornton carried the ball into the 18 yard box and fired a shot from 17 yards out past Bearkat goalkeeper Christina Hendershot. In the 32nd minute of play, Valadez scored her first of two goals and gave the Mustangs a 2-0 lead. Following a foul on the Sam Houston State goalkeeper, Valadez converted the first SMU penalty kick attempt of the season, by burying it into the low, near corner of the net. Minutes later (39th), junior Blair Thorpe scored her first goal of the season to give SMU a 3-0 advantage. Following a clear from Sam Houston State's defensive third, senior Claire Oates trapped the clear and found a wide-open Haley Thompson on the nearside, who sent a long cross into the box. From the far side of the penalty box, Thorpe split a pair of Sam Houston State defenders and chested a loose ball through the arms of Hendershot. Valadez returned the Mustang lead to three in the 78th minute as she netted a header goal off a Thompson free kick. From the nearside, Thompson sent a curling cross into the penalty box, where Valadez managed to lose three defenders and score from eight yards out. SMU outshot the Bearkats, 26-4, while posting 11 shots on goal. Valadez, Thornton and Nashmi led the Mustangs with five shots each, while Valadez and Thornton both posted three shots on goal. Thompson was awarded a pair of assists, while Oates, Harrington and Nashmi each received one. The offense forced six corner kicks on the night.
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SCOUTING INDIANA: The Hoosiers enter Friday's match with a 3-3-0 record after an 2-0 loss against Memphis. In 2016, Indiana finished with a 7-9-4 mark, including a 4-4-3 record in the Big Ten. Entering 2017, the Hoosiers were picked to finish ninth in the Big Ten. This year's squad returns eight starters, including redshirt junior Mykayla Brown and sophomores Allison Jorden and Meghan Scott. All three were named to the Big Ten Preseason All-Conference Team. New faces highlight the roster for the Hoosiers, as Indiana brought in nine freshmen.
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ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST THE HOOSIERS: In head-to-head matchups between SMU and Indiana, SMU is 2-0-0 all-time. SMU opened the series with a 5-0 win in St. Louis, Mo., on Sept. 17, 1995 at the Collegiate America's Cup. In 2016, the Ponies won the most recent meeting 2-1 in Bloomington, Ind. at the Hoosier Challenge Cup. This is the first matchup in Dallas.
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Indiana – 2-0
H: 0-0, A: 1-0, N: 1-0
Â
1995Â Â Â S17Â Â Â Â Â N@Â Â Â Â Â WÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5-0
2016Â Â Â S5Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A^Â Â Â Â Â Â Â WÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2-1
@ Collegiate America's Cup (St. Louis, Mo.)
^Hoosier Challenge Cup
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LAST TIME AGAINST INDIANA (W, 2-1 at Indiana on Sept. 5, 2016) – Sophomore midfielder Blair Thorpe scored the game-winning goal in the 77th minute to propel the SMU women's soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Indiana at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Following the Match, Thorpe, a Frisco, Texas, native, was named to the All-Tournament team. The Mustangs improve to 3-1-0, while the Hoosiers fall to 2-3-1. From 20 yards out, Thorpe fired a bending shot over the head of starting Hoosier goalkeeper, Sarah L'hommedieu, and into the upper-left corner to give SMU a 2-1 advantage. Thorpe now has two goals this season. Trailing 1-0 after Indiana scored in the 11th minute, junior midfielder Claire Oates recorded the equalizer in the 39th minute, heading a free kick from Haley Thompson passed L'hommedieu, from six yards out. The goal is Oates' second of the season and 12th of her career. Thompson, a sophomore defender, now has two assists this season and three in her career. The two squads recorded 15 shots apiece, both with seven in the first half and eight in the second. SMU topped Indiana 8-3 in shots on goal.
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UP NEXT: Following Indiana, SMU will a host TCU on Sept. 14 at 7 p.m., before closing out a four-match homestand against Baylor on Sunday, Sept. 17.
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CRACKING THE TOP 25:Â For the second straight week, the SMU women's soccer team is ranked in the United Soccer Coaches' Poll. The Mustangs are ranked No. 23 nationally following a 4-1 victory against Sam Houston State. SMU, 3-0-2, is one of 29 teams nationally to remain undefeated entering the fourth 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. Prior to the 2017 campaign, 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.
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COACHING CORNER: Two-time National Coach of the Year and 1995 NCAA Championship Coach Chris Petrucelli is in 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 386-158-48 (.698) record.
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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.
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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)
Â
THOR(NTON)'S HAMMER: Through five games, sophomore Allie Thornton leads SMU with 22 shots and nine shots on goal. Against Sam Houston State, the forward scored his first goal of 2017. Against No. 16 Oklahoma, she 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.
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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).
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PUT IT ON THE BOARD: The SMU women's soccer team is 2-0-0 when scoring first. In 2016, the Mustangs were 9-0-0 when scoring first.
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LOOKING AT 400: The 4-1 victory against Sam Houston State was the 399th victory in SMU program history. Since the beginning of the program in 1986, the program record is 399-204-47 (.650). The Mustangs have been coached by six different coaches over that span.
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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.
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2017 AAC HONORS:
Catie Brown – Goalkeeper of the Week (Aug. 28)
Isabelle Nashmi – Weekly Honor Roll (Aug. 28)
Vanessa Valadez – Weekly Honor Roll (Sept. 5)
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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.
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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
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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
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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 (156-55-20) at Westcott Field. In 23 seasons at Westcott, the Mustangs have finished .500 or better in 21 seasons, with three perfect seasons.
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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.
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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.
Â
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.
Â
Watch (PonyUp TV) |Â Live StatsÂ
Facebook |Â Twitter
Â
Following a 4-1 victory against Sam Houston State to extend the unbeaten streak to five matches, the No. 23 SMU women's soccer team hosts Indiana Friday night at Westcott Field. The match can be seen on PonyUp TV, with live stats on SMUMustangs.com
Â
QUICK HITS:
> SMU is ranked No. 23 in the United Soccer Coaches' Poll and RV on TopDrawer
> SMU is ranked fifth in the Southeast Region Poll
> Unbeaten through the first 5 games since 1995 (Finished 23-1-1, lost in College Cup)
> SMU has 399 wins in program history. Since 1986, 399-204-47 (.650)
> Vanessa Valadez leads the Mustangs with three goals
> Allie Thornton leads the team with 22 shots, 9 shots on goal
> Isabelle Nashmi recorded her first career goal and first career assist at Washington
> 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
Â
ABOUT SMU: Following a 4-1 win against Sam Houston State, the 23rd-ranked Mustangs enter Friday's match with a 3-0-2 record. Vanessa Valadez leads the team with three goals this season, following two against the Bearkats. Claire Oates has tallied two goals, while three players have one apiece. The Mustangs are ranked in the United Soccer Coaches' Poll for the second straight week, coming in at No. 23. SMU is one of 29 teams nationally to remain undefeated entering the fourth 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.
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LAST TIME OUT (W, 4-1 at SMU): DALLAS (SMU) – The 22nd-ranked SMU women's soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to five matches, following a dominant 4-1 win against Sam Houston State. Vanessa Valadez scored two goals, as the Mustangs open the season without a loss through the first five matches for the third time in program history. With the win, the Mustangs improve to 3-0-2 on the season, while Sam Houston State evens its record at 2-2-0. Sophomore Allie Thornton opened scoring in the 8th minute of the contest to give SMU an early 1-0 lead. Senior Lauren Harrington started the scoring opportunity after breaking away from defenders on the nearside and feeding a pass to Isabelle Nashmi. With time, the freshman midfielder carried the ball 10 yards before laying a pass off to a crashing Thornton. Uncontested, Thornton carried the ball into the 18 yard box and fired a shot from 17 yards out past Bearkat goalkeeper Christina Hendershot. In the 32nd minute of play, Valadez scored her first of two goals and gave the Mustangs a 2-0 lead. Following a foul on the Sam Houston State goalkeeper, Valadez converted the first SMU penalty kick attempt of the season, by burying it into the low, near corner of the net. Minutes later (39th), junior Blair Thorpe scored her first goal of the season to give SMU a 3-0 advantage. Following a clear from Sam Houston State's defensive third, senior Claire Oates trapped the clear and found a wide-open Haley Thompson on the nearside, who sent a long cross into the box. From the far side of the penalty box, Thorpe split a pair of Sam Houston State defenders and chested a loose ball through the arms of Hendershot. Valadez returned the Mustang lead to three in the 78th minute as she netted a header goal off a Thompson free kick. From the nearside, Thompson sent a curling cross into the penalty box, where Valadez managed to lose three defenders and score from eight yards out. SMU outshot the Bearkats, 26-4, while posting 11 shots on goal. Valadez, Thornton and Nashmi led the Mustangs with five shots each, while Valadez and Thornton both posted three shots on goal. Thompson was awarded a pair of assists, while Oates, Harrington and Nashmi each received one. The offense forced six corner kicks on the night.
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SCOUTING INDIANA: The Hoosiers enter Friday's match with a 3-3-0 record after an 2-0 loss against Memphis. In 2016, Indiana finished with a 7-9-4 mark, including a 4-4-3 record in the Big Ten. Entering 2017, the Hoosiers were picked to finish ninth in the Big Ten. This year's squad returns eight starters, including redshirt junior Mykayla Brown and sophomores Allison Jorden and Meghan Scott. All three were named to the Big Ten Preseason All-Conference Team. New faces highlight the roster for the Hoosiers, as Indiana brought in nine freshmen.
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ALL-TIME SERIES AGAINST THE HOOSIERS: In head-to-head matchups between SMU and Indiana, SMU is 2-0-0 all-time. SMU opened the series with a 5-0 win in St. Louis, Mo., on Sept. 17, 1995 at the Collegiate America's Cup. In 2016, the Ponies won the most recent meeting 2-1 in Bloomington, Ind. at the Hoosier Challenge Cup. This is the first matchup in Dallas.
Â
Indiana – 2-0
H: 0-0, A: 1-0, N: 1-0
Â
1995Â Â Â S17Â Â Â Â Â N@Â Â Â Â Â WÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5-0
2016Â Â Â S5Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A^Â Â Â Â Â Â Â WÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2-1
@ Collegiate America's Cup (St. Louis, Mo.)
^Hoosier Challenge Cup
Â
LAST TIME AGAINST INDIANA (W, 2-1 at Indiana on Sept. 5, 2016) – Sophomore midfielder Blair Thorpe scored the game-winning goal in the 77th minute to propel the SMU women's soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Indiana at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Following the Match, Thorpe, a Frisco, Texas, native, was named to the All-Tournament team. The Mustangs improve to 3-1-0, while the Hoosiers fall to 2-3-1. From 20 yards out, Thorpe fired a bending shot over the head of starting Hoosier goalkeeper, Sarah L'hommedieu, and into the upper-left corner to give SMU a 2-1 advantage. Thorpe now has two goals this season. Trailing 1-0 after Indiana scored in the 11th minute, junior midfielder Claire Oates recorded the equalizer in the 39th minute, heading a free kick from Haley Thompson passed L'hommedieu, from six yards out. The goal is Oates' second of the season and 12th of her career. Thompson, a sophomore defender, now has two assists this season and three in her career. The two squads recorded 15 shots apiece, both with seven in the first half and eight in the second. SMU topped Indiana 8-3 in shots on goal.
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UP NEXT: Following Indiana, SMU will a host TCU on Sept. 14 at 7 p.m., before closing out a four-match homestand against Baylor on Sunday, Sept. 17.
Â
CRACKING THE TOP 25:Â For the second straight week, the SMU women's soccer team is ranked in the United Soccer Coaches' Poll. The Mustangs are ranked No. 23 nationally following a 4-1 victory against Sam Houston State. SMU, 3-0-2, is one of 29 teams nationally to remain undefeated entering the fourth 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. Prior to the 2017 campaign, 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.
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COACHING CORNER: Two-time National Coach of the Year and 1995 NCAA Championship Coach Chris Petrucelli is in 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 386-158-48 (.698) record.
Â
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.
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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)
Â
THOR(NTON)'S HAMMER: Through five games, sophomore Allie Thornton leads SMU with 22 shots and nine shots on goal. Against Sam Houston State, the forward scored his first goal of 2017. Against No. 16 Oklahoma, she 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.
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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).
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PUT IT ON THE BOARD: The SMU women's soccer team is 2-0-0 when scoring first. In 2016, the Mustangs were 9-0-0 when scoring first.
Â
LOOKING AT 400: The 4-1 victory against Sam Houston State was the 399th victory in SMU program history. Since the beginning of the program in 1986, the program record is 399-204-47 (.650). The Mustangs have been coached by six different coaches over that span.
Â
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.
Â
2017 AAC HONORS:
Catie Brown – Goalkeeper of the Week (Aug. 28)
Isabelle Nashmi – Weekly Honor Roll (Aug. 28)
Vanessa Valadez – Weekly Honor Roll (Sept. 5)
Â
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.
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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
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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
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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 (156-55-20) at Westcott Field. In 23 seasons at Westcott, the Mustangs have finished .500 or better in 21 seasons, with three perfect seasons.
Â
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.
Â
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.
Â
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.
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Players Mentioned
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