ANDERSON, S.C. - Looking to bounced back following just its third setback of the season, Anderson University women's soccer returns to the Electric City for Homecoming when it welcomes Lincoln Memorial on Saturday. Kick-off at Trojan Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m. with the team's Senior Day presentations slated for 12:45.
The Trojans
On Wednesday, AU dropped a 2-0 decision to conference rival Queens
and snapped a brief two-match winning streak. With the setback, the
Black and Gold fell to 12-3 on the season with a 6-3 record in the
conference. Prior to the match, Anderson was ranked sixth in the
first of three NCAA Southeast Regional Rankings, as Queens was
slotted 10th. The ranking marked AU's first regional ranking in
program history.
Saturday's match marked the first time 17 straight matches Anderson has been held without a goal, dating back to last season. The Trojans matched their second-lowest shot total for the season with six, as just two shots went on frame. Senior Idoia Agirre, who is nominated for the Hero Sports Division II Women's Soccer Gem of the Week, was held without a shot, as she continues to lead the conference in goals scored with 18.
Defensively, freshman goalkeeper Abby Helm posted six saves in the setback to Queens. Currently, Helm ranks fourth in the SAC in with a 0.95 goals-against average.
The Lady Railsplitters
Since an 18-0 thrashing of nonconference opponent Hiwassee on Sept.
30, Lincoln Memorial has struggled for the month of October,
entering the weekend with a 1-5 record for the month. Most
recently, the Lady Railsplitters dropped a 1-0 decision at home to
SAC foe Mars Hill on Wednesday. Overall, LMU carries a 4-7-3 record
and sits alone in eighth place in the conference standings with a
2-5-2 league mark.
Freshman attacker Claire Leasure leads the Lady Railsplitters with six goals and three assists for the season, headlined by a two-goal performance in a 4-1 triumph over Coker last Saturday. The two-goal match broke a four-match scoreless streak for Leasure after scoring twice against Hiwassee. Teammate Olivia Thompson follows Leasure with five goals in 13 matches for the year.
Three goalkeepers have spent time between the posts for LMU, as junior Kathryn Lundy has seen action in all 14 contests. Lundy has totaled 57 saves and is responsible for three clean sheets.
The Series
In the five previous meetings as conference rivals, Anderson is
1-3-1 against Lincoln Memorial with its lone victory coming on
Homecoming 2013, as the Trojans fended off LMU with a 1-0 victory.
Last season, the Lady Railsplitters responded with a 1-0 triumph of
their own with their game-winning goal coming in the 82nd
minute.
