SMU (6-3-1, 2-0-1 ACC) at No. 2 Florida State (6-0-1, 1-0-0 ACC)
Washburne Stadium- Dallas, Texas
Sunday, Sept. 22 | 1 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 hosting the defending national champions, No. 2 Florida State, at 1 p.m. CT. on Sunday.
• The Mustangs will look to stay unbeaten in conference action as the team defeated Syracuse (4-1) and Boston College (1-0) in its first two matches before drawing Miami (3-3) last time out.
• The ACC placed a nation-best seven teams in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll, headlined by ACC teams holding the top three spots. Stanford continues to hold the No. 1 spot for the third straight week, while Florida State climbed to No. 2 and Duke earned its highest ranking of the season at No. 3. SMU will face all three of those teams in three straight matches, starting with FSU on Sunday.
• 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 16-6-2 at home under Nelson.
• Sunday's promotion is Mustang Mania. Fans are encouraged to wear white to the match and the first 100 fans will receive a limited edition SMU Soccer scarf. The match is also Alumni Day, as over 30 SMU Soccer Alumni will be recognized at halftime.

// THE MATCH UP

• Sunday's match will be the second overall meeting between the two schools but the first during the regular season.
• The last time SMU faced Florida State was in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament as FSU won 5-1 in Tallahassee, Fla.
• Florida State is SMU's first ACC opponent, which the team has previously faced. The Mustangs played Syracuse, Boston College and Miami for the first time in program history.

// HISTORIC OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION

• The Mustangs have had seven players score at least two goals this season, the most since the team had seven during the 2021 season. Four Mustangs have scored three or more goals this season.
• SMU currently ranks fifth in the ACC and 25th in the NCAA in total goals scored with 23.
• Eliana Salama, Liz Eddy and Emma Alvord have all recorded braces this season. It is the first time since 2022 the Mustangs have had three different players record a brace in the same season.
• The Mustangs have scored at least three goals in six of the team's first 10 matches. It is the most since 2019, when SMU also had six matches of scoring three or more goals.  
• 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 scored 17 goals through their first 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 tallied 100 shot attempts in its first five matches and is one of only four ACC schools that had 100 or more shots in that time frame: Florida State-135 (4gm), North Carolina-126, Pitt-111, SMU-100.
• The Mustangs have recorded over 20 shots in four of their 10 matches this season. It is the first time since 2019 (7) SMU has had multiple matches with over 20 shots taken. Between 2020-23 SMU only had three matches total with over 20 shots taken.
• SMU has tallied double-digit shots in four straight matches and seven total during the season.

// WELCOME TO THE SALAMA SHOW

• Eliana Salama has had a breakout season to remember, as she currently leads the team in goals scored with six after recording her first career brace against Miami. She is also tied for the team high in assists this season with four.
• Salama ranks inside the top 10 in the ACC in six categories: Total Points (5th,16), Points Per Game (5th 1.60) Total Goals (6th, 6), Goals Per Game (8th, 0.60), Shot Per Game (7th, 3.70), Total Assist (9th, 4)
• She also ranks 20^th nationally in total points and 34^th in total goals.

// RECORD BOOK ROSE

• Nyah Rose scored her third goal of the season in only her fourth match played against Miami. She missed five matches, including the ACC opener, while playing for Team Canada in the FIFA Women's U-20 World Cup.  She returned to SMU for the team's match against Boston College.                                                                
• Her three goals currently rank third on the team, as she has now scored 14 goals in her SMU career. She currently ranks ninth all-time in goals per game in program history (0.63).  
• Rose was a 2024 Hermann Trophy Watch List Honoree.

// DEFENSIVE PROWESS

• The Mustangs have allowed one or fewer goals in 37 of 47 games played under Head Coach Nicole Nelson. This season, SMU has achieved the feat in six of its 10 matches.
• SMU did not allow a goal in the run of action in its first two ACC matches. Syracuse scored their lone goal on a penalty kick and the team shutout Boston College.
• Since 2022, SMU has shut out 17 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.

// RANKING THE MUSTANGS

• Goalkeeper Sierra Cota-Yarde ranks second in the ACC in total saves with 34. She has recorded two compete shutouts this season, with the most recent occurring against Boston College.  
• Sammy Nieves currently ranks 44th in the nation in game-winning goals (2) and eighth in the ACC.
• Freshman Liz Eddy is second on the team in goals scored with four and in assists with three.
• As a team, SMU ranks 15^th in the NCAA and fifth in the ACC in total goals with 26. The Mustangs also average 2.6 goals a game, which ranks 29^th in the nation and sixth in the ACC.  On the defensive side, SMU is second in the conference in saves per game (4.20).

// SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

• Florida State is led by head coach Brina Pensky, who is in his third season at the helm of the Seminoles. He boasts a career record of 230-114-50 in 20 years of head coaching, with stops at Maryland and Tennessee. At FSU, he is 45-3-5 and led Florida State to a national championship last season.
• Florida State is 6-0-1(1-0-0) this season and has been ranked as high as the number-one team in the nation this season.
• FSU ranks inside the top 10 nationally in 12 different statistical categories, including leading the NCAA in shots per game (27.71).
• Last time out, FSU defeated Syracuse 5-1 in its ACC opener.

// SCORING IN THE SUNSHINE STATE

• In a back-and-forth match that came down to the final minutes, the SMU women's soccer program drew Miami 3-3 last time out.
• Playing in their first road match this season, the Mustangs didn't let the change of scenery affect their offensive output as South Florida native Eliana Salama scored twice, and Nyah Rose found the back of the net in her second match back from the FIFA Women's U-20 World Cup.
• Salama recorded her first career brace and has now netted a team-high six goals this season. She is the third Mustang to record a brace this year, joining Liz Eddy and Emma Alvord.
• Rose scored her third goal this season in just her fourth match played for SMU this year. The 2024 Hermann Trophy Watch List Honoree has now tallied 14 goals in her career.
• Goalkeeper Sierra Cota-Yarde recorded a season-high seven saves on 18 shots faced (10 on goal), but none was bigger than denying a penalty shot in the 85th to keep the match tied.