DALLAS (SMU) – The SMU women's soccer program returns to Washburne Stadium to host Alcorn State on Sunday in its final non-conference match of the season.

The match will kick off at 1 p.m. CT and will be aired on ACCNX. Fans can enjoy free admission to all regular-season SMU women's soccer home games.

Sunday's match is Senior Day for the Mustangs. Ten seniors will be honored for their contributions to the program. The ceremony will take place immediately following the conclusion of the game. Seniors to be honored: Kaya Lee, Mayu Inokawa, Hali Hartman, Sammy Nieves, Sydney Japic, Paige Boeger, Maura Yumul, Jen Jackson, Haven Empey-Taylor and student manager Tori Peterson.
 
The Mustangs enter the match having won five of their last seven games and are undefeated in Washburne this season (4-0-0), outscoring opponents 10-1. The last time SMU won five consecutive home games in a single season was during the 2018 season.

SMU has recorded 133 shots and scored 15 goals this season, which rank seventh and 10th in the ACC, respectively.  The Mustangs rank 14th in the nation in corner kicks per game at 7.38 and have totaled 59, the third most in the ACC this season.

Lydia Ungashick leads SMU in goals scored with three and has now scored in back-to-back games for the Mustangs. Ten different Mustangs have scored a goal this season.

Sammy Nieves leads the team in assists with five and is currently tied for 10th in the NCAA and fourth in the ACC in total assists.

Liz Eddy leads SMU in total shots with 25 and ranks ninth in the ACC in shots per game with 3.57.  Nyah Rose has taken 20 shots with a team high of 11 on goal.  

The Mustangs added nine newcomers to their 2025 roster, five freshmen and four transfers. Head coach Nicole Nelson also brought in two new assistant coaches, Daniel O'Hare and Callie McKinney.

In the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll, seven ACC teams landed in the top 25, the most of any conference. ACC teams placed five in the top 10 with Duke (No. 2), Stanford (No. 3), Virginia (No. 5) Notre Dame (No. 6) and Florida State (No. 7). Wake Forest (No. 17) and North Carolina (No.19) round out the team in the top 25 while Clemson, Virginia Tech and Louisville all received votes.

In the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll, the Mustangs were picked to finish 12th overall. The top-10 teams in the poll all were ranked or received votes in the United Soccer Coaches Poll.

This season will mark the 40th year of women's soccer on the Hilltop and the fourth under head coach Nicole Nelson. The Mustangs 19-8-3 at home under Nelson.

// THE MATCH UP

• SMU will face Alcorn State for the first time in program history.
• The Mustangs' non-conference record of 5-2-0 is tied for the most non-conference wins since 2022. The last time SMU won six non-conference games was during the 2021 season.

// SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

• Alcorn State is led by head coach Ken Kabiru, who is in his first season at the helm of the Lady Braves and boasts a record of 1-3-2.  Kabiru holds a career record of 23-27-3 across 6 seasons at Alcorn State, Salem and Albany State.   
• Alcorn State is 1-3-2 this season and is 0-2-2 on the road. The Lady Braves are coming off a 1-1 draw at Tarleton State last time out.  

// LAST TIME OUT

• SMU tied Syracuse 1-1 on the road in its ACC Opener.
• Despite double-digit shot totals from both teams, defense was the story of the game.
• The Mustangs totaled 11 shots on offense and goalkeeper Aubrey Brown led the way on defense, finishing the match with a career high seven saves.
• Both teams started slow, feeling each other out, but it was SMU who took control of the game first as Lydia Ungashick netted her third goal of the season to put SMU up 1-0 in the 37^th minute.
• The Orange answered in the 43^rd minute. The Mustangs had chances to score down the stretch of the game but were unable to find the back of the net.

 // LOCK DOWN DEFENSE

• The Mustangs have allowed one or fewer goals in 44 of 62 games played under Head Coach Nicole Nelson. SMU achieved the feat in five of its eight games this season.
• Since 2022, SMU has shut out 20 opponents under Nelson. This season, SMU has recorded three shutouts and is outshooting teams 100-20 at home.
• The Mustangs have only allowed one goal at home this year.

// WINNING AT WASHBURNE

• SMU holds an impressive 28-9-4 record at home since the 2021 season and is 20-8-3 under  Nelson.
• SMU is undefeated at home this season (4-0-0) and is outscoring opponents 10-1 inside Washburne. Three of the team's home victories have been shutouts.
• The last time SMU won five consecutive home games in a single season was during the 2021 season.
• Seventeen of SMU's home wins in that stretch have been shutouts.
• In the team's first three home games, SMU rattled off 27 shots in each. In total, SMU is outshooting opponents 100-20 at home in four games.

// RECORD BOOK ROSE

• Nyah Rose has been SMU's top goal scorer over the last couple of seasons. This season, she is second on the team in goals scored with two.
• Prior to the start of the season, Nyah Rose was ranked 48^th in TopDrawerSoccer's top-100 players list.
• Rose scored her first goal of the season and the game-winning goal against UNT.
• Rose found the back of the net once again in the team's 3-0 victory over HCU.
• Rose is coming off another standout season for the Mustangs. Rose was a 2024 Hermann Trophy Watch List honoree and was named Third Team All-ACC for her play last season.
• Rose was second on the team with five goals in only 11 games played last season. Rose scored the team's only goal in a 1-1 draw versus the 2024 ACC tournament champions, Florida State.  Three of her five goals occurred during ACC play.
• As a freshman, she was named First-Team All-South Region, All-AAC First Team, Co-Rookie of the Year and was named to the AAC All-Rookie Team and AAC Championship All-Tournament Team. She led AAC in goals scored with 11. 
• Rose has now scored 18 goals in her SMU career. She currently ranks 11th all-time in goals per game in program history (0.52). 

// A PREMIERE PLAYMAKER

• Sammy Nieves has been SMU's player maker this season, leading the team with five assists. She currently ranks 10th in the NCAA in total assists and 33rd in assists per game with 0.63.
• Nieves had three assists against North Texas and is the first Mustang to record three assists in a game since Hannah Fleet had three against Abilene Christian on Sept. 11, 2016.
• She recorded her second multi-assist game of the season with two against HCU.
• The senior has recorded 15 assists in her career.  

// FRESHMAN STANDOUT

• Freshman Lindsay Nicholson is tied for second on the team in goals scored with two and is third in total shots with 15.
• She scored in back-to-back games against NSU and UNT, becoming the first freshman to achieve this feat since Nyah Rose did so multiple times in 2023. 

//A NEW YEAR A NEW CHALLENGE

• Entering their second season in the ACC, the Mustangs' 18-game schedule will feature eight non-conference games and 10 conference games. SMU will face six teams that made the NCAA Tournament last season, including three teams that made the College Cup.
• SMU is scheduled to face seven teams this season that were ranked or received votes in the 2025 United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll.
• SMU began the 2025 season on the road for the first time since 2019.