SMU (4-1-0, 0-0-0 ACC) vs. TCU (3-1-0, 0-0-0 BIG 12)
Washburne Stadium - Dallas, Texas
Sunday, Sept. 1 | 8:30 p.m. (CT)
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// SETTING THE SCENE

• The SMU women's soccer program continues its inaugural season in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) by hoisting (RV) TCU on Sept.1 at 8:30 p.m. CT inside Washburne Stadium.
• Thursday's match promotion is Fry the Frogs. Fans who attend the match will receive a Fry the Frogs rally towel.
• This season will mark the 39th year of women's soccer on the Hilltop and the third under head coach Nicole Nelson. The Mustangs are 14-4-2 at home under Nelson.
• SMU has now won four of its first five matches this season for the first time under Nelson. The team went 3-0-2 in her first season (2022), and it is the first time since 2021 that the Mustangs have won four of their first five matches.  

// THE MATCH UP

• Sunday's match will be the 37th meeting between the two schools and the 17^th time the match has been played in Dallas. SMU leads the overall series 28-5-3 and is 14-2 when the match is played in Washburne.
• SMU's 28 wins over TCU are tied for the program's most wins versus a single school  (SMU vs Tulsa 28-8-3). The Mustangs won 19 consecutive matches against TCU from 1987-2000.
• The two teams squared off in last year's season opener in Fort Worth, as then-No. 9 TCU beat SMU 1-0. Sunday's match will be the first to be played in Dallas since 2019 (TCU1-0).

// HISTORIC OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION

• SMU has scored at least three goals in its first four matches, marking the first time since 2004 that the team has accomplished the feat.
• The Mustangs have had six players score at least two goals this season, tying last season's number of multi-goal scorers. Eliana Salama leads the way with season career-high three goals.
• The Mustangs have scored 17 goals through five games, which is tied for the fifth most goals scored in the first five games of a season in program history and the most since the team scored 20 to start the 2016 season.
• SMU has tallied 100 shot attempts in its first five matches and is one of only four ACC schools to have 100 or more shots: Florida State-135 (4gm), North Carolina-126, Pitt-111, SMU-100.
• The Mustangs have recorded over 20 shots in three of their five matches this season. It is the first time since 2019 (7) SMU has had multiple matches with over 20 shots taken.
• SMU's 57 shot attempts through the first two games are the most in a two-game span since 2017, when the Mustangs recorded a total of 63 in back-to-back games against Tulsa (20) and New Mexico State (43).
• Through four matches, SMU ranks nationally inside the top 25 in five statistical categories.
  • Total Goals – 15 (7th in the NCAA, 2nd in the ACC)   
  • Scoring Offense – 3.4 Goals a Game (T-9th in the NCAA, 2nd in the ACC)
  • Total Points – 43 (15th in the NCAA, 3rd in the ACC)
  • Goal Differential – 9 (21st in the NCAA, 7th in the ACC)
  • Shots Per Game – 20 (22nd in the NCAA, 7^th in the ACC)
  • Shots on Goal Per Game – (22nd in the NCAA, 7^th in the ACC)

 
// DEFENSIVE PROWESS

• The Mustangs have allowed one or fewer goals in 34 of 42 games played under Head Coach Nicole Nelson.
• Since 2022, SMU has shut out 16 opponents, including back-to-back shutouts against Northwestern State (3-0) and Texas Southern (6-0) to begin this season. It marked the fifth time in program history that the Mustangs have not allowed a goal in the season's first two games.
• The Mustangs earned their third shutout of the season against Little Rock (2-0) and shut out three of its first five opponents for the first time since 2021.
• SMU only allowed five shots through the first two games. The Mustangs did not allow Texas Southern to record a single shot, outshooting the Tigers 26-0.
• SMU is now 14-0 when they score first since the start of the 2023 season.

// SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

• TCU is led by head coach Eric Bell, who is in his 13th season at the helm of the Horned Frogs. He boasts a career record of 142-88-38 in 14 years of coaching and holds a record of 135-78-38 at TCU.
• TCU is 3-1 this season and 1-1 on the road. Last time out, the Horned Frogs defeated Central Michigan 3-0 in Fort Worth, and their one last was a 4-0 defeat to then No. 14 Notre Dame on the road.
• Last season, TCU went 10-6-3 and made it to the first round of the Big 12 tournament before falling to UCF 3-2.
• TCU received votes in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll and has been ranked as high as 13th this season.

// FRESHMEN CAME TO PLAY

• Freshman Liz Eddy found the back of the net for the third time this season and is tied for the team high in goals scored. She ranks sixth in the ACC in shots on goal (10) and tied for seventh in total goals (3).  

• Both freshmen Kelly Gordon and Eddy have already scored twice this season. Gordon scored her second career goal against SFA, marking the first time since 2018 that SMU had at least two freshmen score multiple goals. (Sebasco-6 / Celiana Torres-7)
• In total, three freshmen have scored a goal this season as Sadie Paul scored her first career goal against Texas Southern
• Lydia Ungashick is the only freshman to start all five matches this season. She is second on the team in minutes played with 359. She has played over 70 minutes in four of the teams five matches.

// LAST TIME OUT

• The SMU women's soccer program earned its third shutout of the season, defeating Arkansas-Little Rock 2-0.
• Junior Sammy Nieves and freshman Liz Eddy both scored their third goals of the season and are now tied with Eliana Salama (3) for the team-high this year.
• SMU's defense pressure led to multiple offensive chances, as the team out shot Little Rock 12-3 in the first half and 21-10 over the entire 90 minutes. It was the third time this season that the Mustangs had recorded over 20 shots in a match.

// ROSE READY TO REPRESENT CANADA

• Nyah Rose was named to Canada's FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Colombia 2024 roster, announced by Canada Soccer on Aug. 19. Rose was one of 21 players named to the roster and is the first Mustang to make any team Canada roster since former midfielder Wayny Balata was named to the Canadian Concacaf provisional roster in 2020.
• The FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup will take place in Colombia from Aug. 31 to Sept. 22. The tournament features 24 nations and begins with round-robin group play.
• Canada drew into group B and will face France, Brazil and Fiji. They will begin group play action on Aug. 31, taking on France.

// WINNING AT WASHBURNE

• SMU holds an impressive 22-5-3 record at home since the 2021 season, including four conference wins.
• 14 of SMU's home wins in that stretch have been shutouts.
• The Mustangs defeated NSU 3-0 inside Washburne Stadium 2024 season opener. 
• Five of the Mustangs' home wins since 2021 have come against Big 12 and SEC opponents.
  • 9/09/21   (RV) Oklahoma State (1-0)
  • 9/19/21    Oklahoma  (1-0)
  • 9/18/22    Baylor (1-0)
  • 8/25/23    No. 25 Tennessee (2-1)
  • 9/10/23    Oklahoma State (1-0)