Thursday, September 29
Dallas, Texas
7 p.m.
SMU
vs
USF
No. 24 SMU Hosts USF | Thursday 7pm
Sep 27 | Women's Soccer
No. 24Â SMU (6-1-3, 1-1 AAC) vs. USF (4-6-0, 1-1-0 AAC)
Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium – Dallas, Texas
Thursday, Sept. 29| 7 p.m. CT
ESPN+Â |Â Live Stats
SMU Notes | The American | USF
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SETTING THE SCENE
•   The Mustangs host USF in an American Athletic Conference match-up on Thursday.
•   SMU is 6-1-3 after a 1-0 win at Temple last Thursday. That was the second straight shutout for SMU after a 1-0 win over Baylor on Sept. 18. Alina Khan scored her first goal of the season (13th minute) in the win at Temple.
•   The Mustangs are 5-1 at home this season and 13-2-1 at home over the past two seasons.
•   The Mustangs are 1-0-3 on the road this season. SMU has a win at Temple with draws at then-No. 11 Tennessee,  Oklahoma and San Francisco.
•   Three Mustangs earned AAC honors this week. Alina Khan was Offensive Player of the Week, Samantha Estrada was Goalkeeper of the Week and Sammy Nieves was selected to the Weekly Honor Roll.
•   SMU's  unbeaten streak through the first seven matches was the second-longest unbeaten start for SMU. The only longer streak was the first 24 matches of the 1995 season when the Mustangs finished 23-1-1 and reached the College Cup semifinals.
AAC LEADERS
•   SMU has the most AAC Weekly Honors this season with 12  (ECU has 9). The Mustangs have 4 Player of the Week selections, a Rookie of the Week and 7 honor roll spots.
•   SMU is leading the league in save percentage (.880) and is second in goals against average (.600). Julissa Cisneros is leading the AAC (75th NCAA) with six goals and is second in the league with two winners. Sammy Nieves leads the AAC with four assists.
 IN THE TOP 25
•    SMU is No. 24 in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll (Sept. 27). The high this season was No. 15 on Aug. 23 and Aug. 30. Â
•   SMU has been ranked in 17 straight United Soccer Coaches Top 25 polls (last 10 of 2021 and the first sseven of 2022).
•   SMU was No. 21 in the final poll last season after being as high as No. 14 twice in 2021.
•   SMU was ranked No. 3, the highest ranking in program history, in the final poll at the end of the 1995 season after advancing to the 1995 College Cup, finishing with a 23-1-1 record.Â
LEADING MUSTANGS
•   Graduate senior Courtney Sebazco - MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List honoree and preseason All-AAC selection - has two goals and three assists on the season. She has been AAC Offensive Player of the Week twice this season.
•   Julissa Cisneros leads the AAC  scoring with six goals (37th NCAA) and Sammy Nieves has a goal and a four assists (1st AAC). Cisneros was on the AAC Weekly Honor Roll for Sept. 5  and Sept. 12.
•   Senior goalkeeper Samantha Estrada, has 32 saves and allowed just three goals in 611 minutes. She has been AAC GK of the Week once and has two AAC Weekly Honor Roll nods. Tatum Sutherland has also allowed just three goals in 288 minutes. They have combined for five shutouts.
BALANCED SCORING
•   Eight Mustangs have scored at least one goal already this season and 11 have recorded at least one point.Â
HERMANN TROPHY WATCH LIST
•   Courtney Sebazco was named to the preseason Hermann Trophy Watch List. She has two goals and three assists. The preseason All-AAC honoree has garnered AAC Offensive Player of the Week twice and was on College Soccer News Team of the Week for Aug. 22.
LAST TIME OUT
•   No. 21 SMU got a goal from Alina Khan in the 13th minute, and went on to a 1-0 win over Temple at the Temple Sports Complex on Thursday. Samantha Estrada made four saves in the game. The Mustangs put six of nine shots on goal in the game as no one from SMU had more than one shot in the match. It was the second straight shutout for SMU, and fifth of the season.
SERIES HISTORY
•   SMU is 2-7-1 against USF. The teams split 2021 with SMU winning 2-0 in the regular season and falling 2-0 in the AAC Tournament semifinal.
UP NEXT
•    SMU has road matches at Houston next Thursday and then at UCF on Oct. 9.
2022 HONORS & AWARDS
• Preseason All-AAC
   Wayny Balata, Courtney Sebazco
• Hermann Trophy Watch List
   Courtney Sebazco
•   College Soccer News National Team of the Week
   Aug. 22 - Courtney Sebazco
• AAC Weekly Honors
   Aug. 22
   Courtney Sebazco (Offensive Player of the Week)
   Peyton Annen (Rookie of the Week)
   Samantha Estrada (Honor Roll)
   Aug. 29
   Sammy Nieves (Honor Roll)
   Sept. 5
   Courtney Sebazco (Offensive Player of the Week)
   Julissa Cisneros (Honor Roll)
   Samantha Estrada (Honor Roll)
   Sept. 12
   Julissa Cisneros (Honor Roll)
   Sept. 19
   Mackenzie Rudden (Honor Roll)
   Sept. 26
   Alina Khan (Offensive Player of the Week)
   Samantha Estrada (Goalkeeper of the Week)
   Sammy Nieves (Honor Roll)
SMU in 2021
•   SMU was 12-5-2 overall (4-2-2 AAC).
•   All 4 AAC wins were shutouts.
•   The Mustangs were 8-1-1 at home and 4-4-1 on the road.
•   11 different players scored, with seven hitting the back of the net more than once.
•   SMU outscored opponents 27-17 with 10 shutouts.
•   SMU advanced in the NCAA Tournament with a 2-0 win against No. 21 Texas.Â
COACHES CORNER
•    First-year head coach Nicole Nelson previously spent eight seasons as an Associate Head Coach and Assistant Coach for the Mustangs from 2012-2019 under previous head coach Chris Petrucelli.
•   Prior to her time on the Hilltop, Nelson served as head coach at Oklahoma (2007-11), assistant coach under Petrucelli at Texas (2006-07), recruiting coordinator/assistant coach at Baylor (2005), and head coach at Stephen F. Austin (2002-04).Â
RETURNING MUSTANGS
• The Mustangs return 20 players from the 2021 season.
• Of the 18 returners, 9 saw playing time in 2021.Â
• Returning Mustangs account for 21 of 28 goals scored (75%), 14 of 23 assists made (61%), and 52 of 79 points accrued (66%) throughout the 2021 season.Â
• SMU returned both of its primary goalkeepers in Samantha Estrada and Tatum Sutherland.
NEW MUSTANGS
• SMU added nine freshman and three transfer additions to its roster for 2022.Â
•   Mayu Inokawa, a sophomore midfielder transfer from Iowa Western Community College hailing from Saitama, Japan, joins two other Mustangs who originate from outside the United States (Wayny Balata - Montreal, Quebec; Jordina Colomer - Manlleu, Catalunya, Spain).
•   Three 2022 additions are Dallas-area natives - USF transfer Hannah Wrigley (Lewisville); freshman Peyton Annen (Plano); freshman Jen Jackson (Dallas).Â
2022 AAC All-Preseason Team
• Wayny Balata and Courtney Sebazco were named to the American Athletic Conference Preseason All-Conference Team.
• Senior midfielder Balata scored a team-high six goals in 2021, and added two assists for a total of 14 points.Â
•   Sebazco logged four goals and four assists on the year, earning 12 points for the Mustangs.Â
2022 AAC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1Â Â Â Memphis (6)Â Â Â 62
2Â Â Â South Florida (1)Â Â Â 52
3Â Â Â UCF (1)Â Â Â Â Â Â 48
   SMU      48
5   Cincinnati   33
   Houston (1)   33
7   Temple      20
8   East Carolina   19
9   Tulsa      10
FIRST-PLACE VOTES IN PARENTHESIS
ESPN+ COVERAGE
• This season, all of SMU's home matches will be
featured on ESPN+ along with most away
games. Stay up-to-date on coverage information
on SMUMustangs.com.
Â
Washburne Soccer and Track Stadium – Dallas, Texas
Thursday, Sept. 29| 7 p.m. CT
ESPN+Â |Â Live Stats
SMU Notes | The American | USF
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
SMU Mobile App | Apple | Google Play
SETTING THE SCENE
•   The Mustangs host USF in an American Athletic Conference match-up on Thursday.
•   SMU is 6-1-3 after a 1-0 win at Temple last Thursday. That was the second straight shutout for SMU after a 1-0 win over Baylor on Sept. 18. Alina Khan scored her first goal of the season (13th minute) in the win at Temple.
•   The Mustangs are 5-1 at home this season and 13-2-1 at home over the past two seasons.
•   The Mustangs are 1-0-3 on the road this season. SMU has a win at Temple with draws at then-No. 11 Tennessee,  Oklahoma and San Francisco.
•   Three Mustangs earned AAC honors this week. Alina Khan was Offensive Player of the Week, Samantha Estrada was Goalkeeper of the Week and Sammy Nieves was selected to the Weekly Honor Roll.
•   SMU's  unbeaten streak through the first seven matches was the second-longest unbeaten start for SMU. The only longer streak was the first 24 matches of the 1995 season when the Mustangs finished 23-1-1 and reached the College Cup semifinals.
AAC LEADERS
•   SMU has the most AAC Weekly Honors this season with 12  (ECU has 9). The Mustangs have 4 Player of the Week selections, a Rookie of the Week and 7 honor roll spots.
•   SMU is leading the league in save percentage (.880) and is second in goals against average (.600). Julissa Cisneros is leading the AAC (75th NCAA) with six goals and is second in the league with two winners. Sammy Nieves leads the AAC with four assists.
 IN THE TOP 25
•    SMU is No. 24 in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll (Sept. 27). The high this season was No. 15 on Aug. 23 and Aug. 30. Â
•   SMU has been ranked in 17 straight United Soccer Coaches Top 25 polls (last 10 of 2021 and the first sseven of 2022).
•   SMU was No. 21 in the final poll last season after being as high as No. 14 twice in 2021.
•   SMU was ranked No. 3, the highest ranking in program history, in the final poll at the end of the 1995 season after advancing to the 1995 College Cup, finishing with a 23-1-1 record.Â
LEADING MUSTANGS
•   Graduate senior Courtney Sebazco - MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List honoree and preseason All-AAC selection - has two goals and three assists on the season. She has been AAC Offensive Player of the Week twice this season.
•   Julissa Cisneros leads the AAC  scoring with six goals (37th NCAA) and Sammy Nieves has a goal and a four assists (1st AAC). Cisneros was on the AAC Weekly Honor Roll for Sept. 5  and Sept. 12.
•   Senior goalkeeper Samantha Estrada, has 32 saves and allowed just three goals in 611 minutes. She has been AAC GK of the Week once and has two AAC Weekly Honor Roll nods. Tatum Sutherland has also allowed just three goals in 288 minutes. They have combined for five shutouts.
BALANCED SCORING
•   Eight Mustangs have scored at least one goal already this season and 11 have recorded at least one point.Â
HERMANN TROPHY WATCH LIST
•   Courtney Sebazco was named to the preseason Hermann Trophy Watch List. She has two goals and three assists. The preseason All-AAC honoree has garnered AAC Offensive Player of the Week twice and was on College Soccer News Team of the Week for Aug. 22.
LAST TIME OUT
•   No. 21 SMU got a goal from Alina Khan in the 13th minute, and went on to a 1-0 win over Temple at the Temple Sports Complex on Thursday. Samantha Estrada made four saves in the game. The Mustangs put six of nine shots on goal in the game as no one from SMU had more than one shot in the match. It was the second straight shutout for SMU, and fifth of the season.
SERIES HISTORY
•   SMU is 2-7-1 against USF. The teams split 2021 with SMU winning 2-0 in the regular season and falling 2-0 in the AAC Tournament semifinal.
UP NEXT
•    SMU has road matches at Houston next Thursday and then at UCF on Oct. 9.
2022 HONORS & AWARDS
• Preseason All-AAC
   Wayny Balata, Courtney Sebazco
• Hermann Trophy Watch List
   Courtney Sebazco
•   College Soccer News National Team of the Week
   Aug. 22 - Courtney Sebazco
• AAC Weekly Honors
   Aug. 22
   Courtney Sebazco (Offensive Player of the Week)
   Peyton Annen (Rookie of the Week)
   Samantha Estrada (Honor Roll)
   Aug. 29
   Sammy Nieves (Honor Roll)
   Sept. 5
   Courtney Sebazco (Offensive Player of the Week)
   Julissa Cisneros (Honor Roll)
   Samantha Estrada (Honor Roll)
   Sept. 12
   Julissa Cisneros (Honor Roll)
   Sept. 19
   Mackenzie Rudden (Honor Roll)
   Sept. 26
   Alina Khan (Offensive Player of the Week)
   Samantha Estrada (Goalkeeper of the Week)
   Sammy Nieves (Honor Roll)
SMU in 2021
•   SMU was 12-5-2 overall (4-2-2 AAC).
•   All 4 AAC wins were shutouts.
•   The Mustangs were 8-1-1 at home and 4-4-1 on the road.
•   11 different players scored, with seven hitting the back of the net more than once.
•   SMU outscored opponents 27-17 with 10 shutouts.
•   SMU advanced in the NCAA Tournament with a 2-0 win against No. 21 Texas.Â
COACHES CORNER
•    First-year head coach Nicole Nelson previously spent eight seasons as an Associate Head Coach and Assistant Coach for the Mustangs from 2012-2019 under previous head coach Chris Petrucelli.
•   Prior to her time on the Hilltop, Nelson served as head coach at Oklahoma (2007-11), assistant coach under Petrucelli at Texas (2006-07), recruiting coordinator/assistant coach at Baylor (2005), and head coach at Stephen F. Austin (2002-04).Â
RETURNING MUSTANGS
• The Mustangs return 20 players from the 2021 season.
• Of the 18 returners, 9 saw playing time in 2021.Â
• Returning Mustangs account for 21 of 28 goals scored (75%), 14 of 23 assists made (61%), and 52 of 79 points accrued (66%) throughout the 2021 season.Â
• SMU returned both of its primary goalkeepers in Samantha Estrada and Tatum Sutherland.
NEW MUSTANGS
• SMU added nine freshman and three transfer additions to its roster for 2022.Â
•   Mayu Inokawa, a sophomore midfielder transfer from Iowa Western Community College hailing from Saitama, Japan, joins two other Mustangs who originate from outside the United States (Wayny Balata - Montreal, Quebec; Jordina Colomer - Manlleu, Catalunya, Spain).
•   Three 2022 additions are Dallas-area natives - USF transfer Hannah Wrigley (Lewisville); freshman Peyton Annen (Plano); freshman Jen Jackson (Dallas).Â
2022 AAC All-Preseason Team
• Wayny Balata and Courtney Sebazco were named to the American Athletic Conference Preseason All-Conference Team.
• Senior midfielder Balata scored a team-high six goals in 2021, and added two assists for a total of 14 points.Â
•   Sebazco logged four goals and four assists on the year, earning 12 points for the Mustangs.Â
2022 AAC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1Â Â Â Memphis (6)Â Â Â 62
2Â Â Â South Florida (1)Â Â Â 52
3Â Â Â UCF (1)Â Â Â Â Â Â 48
   SMU      48
5   Cincinnati   33
   Houston (1)   33
7   Temple      20
8   East Carolina   19
9   Tulsa      10
FIRST-PLACE VOTES IN PARENTHESIS
ESPN+ COVERAGE
• This season, all of SMU's home matches will be
featured on ESPN+ along with most away
games. Stay up-to-date on coverage information
on SMUMustangs.com.
Â
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's SoccerTuesday, September 22
Tuesday, September 22
Monday, September 21
Sunday, September 20
