BEAUMONT, Texas – Delayed by a week and with a different opponent and location, Lamar University's women's soccer team will finally get to begin its defense of the 2017 Southland Conference crown on Friday against the University of Central Arkansas. That'll be followed by Northwestern State on Sunday. Both games will take place at LU Soccer Complex as part of Lamar's Homecoming weekend.
 
Lamar's original SLC opener, at Nicholls State University, has been rescheduled to Oct. 7.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT – COLORADO COLLEGE

Colorado College
It ended the way it began, with no score between the soccer teams of Lamar University and Colorado College on Sept. 9. The Cardinals and Tigers fought to a 0-0 score with spectacular saves by both teams keeping the scoreboard blank, but with 35 minutes left on the clock the game was called due to impending weather. The game is officially listed as a no contest since it didn't reach the 70th minute.
 
THIS WEEK – CENTRAL ARKANSAS AND NORTHWESTERN STATE
 
Lamar vs. Central Arkansas – Sept. 21 at 7 p.m.
Central Arkansas is 6-2-1 on the year with a 1-0-0 mark in SLC, having shut out Sam Houston State 5-0 on Sept. 14. The Bears are 4-0-1 in Conway, Ark., and 2-2-0 on the road. Jeremy Bishop, a Central Arkansas alum and former assistant coach of the Bears, is in his seventh year as the head coach of UCA. He owns a 63-56-9 mark at UCA and a 69-67-11 mark in his NCAA coaching career (which includes one year at Harding as the head coach of the men's team).
 
Central Arkansas is outscoring its opponents 21-8 so far this season, averaging 2.33 goals a game while allowing just .89 goals a game. The Bears attempt 16.4 shots a game with 43.9 percent of those shots on goal. All 21 goals have been assisted. While UCA has been good in offense and in stopping shots from finding the back of the net, they have allowed more corner kicks (48) than they've attempted (42). Over 70 percent of the Bears' scoring has come in the second half, while their opponents have scored 75 percent of their offense in the first half.
 
Connie Awuku-Darkoh has seven goals and three assists so far on the season, adding up to 17 total points. She ranks second in the SLC and 14th in the nation in total points and is tied with Lamar's Kelso Peskin for the SLC lead in game-winning goals with three. But Awuku-Darkoh isn't the only threat offensively; Camille Bassett has four goals this season and three assists, and Kristen Ricks has four assists. All told 10 Bears have scored a goal in 2018.
 
Lauren Mercuri leads the way in the net with 794:16 of work, leading the SLC in minutes in goal. She averages just under one goal allowed per game, which is second in the SLC behind Abilene Christian's Rachel Johnson. She also has three shutouts this year, tied with Lamar's Jocelyn Hanrath and Johnson from Abilene for the most in the SLC.
 
Lamar vs. Northwestern State – Sept. 23 at 1 p.m.
Holding a 6-3 overall mark and an 0-1 mark in SLC play, Northwestern State is in its first season under co-head coaches Jess and Anna Jobe. The couple were associate head coach and volunteer assistant coach, respectively, at Dallas Baptist University last season while the Patriots accrued a 15-4-2 record and advanced to the NCAA Division II tournament. NSU's one SLC game this season came at home against Stephen F. Austin, a 1-0 decision in favor of the Lady Jacks.
 
The Demons average 3.75 goals a game, leading the Southland, while allowing exactly 1.00 goals a game, the fourth-best mark in the league. NSU attempts an astounding 24.5 shots a game, the most in the NCAA, and about half of those shots are on goal.
 
April Trowbridge is averaging 1.25 goals a game, the most in the SLC and the second-most in the NCAA, and has 10 total goals, also the most in the NCAA. She's taking an average of 7.75 shots per contest and has three assists in 2018. Brittany Caserma is just a few goals behind Trowbridge with four scores on the year. All told, 13 Demons have scored at least on goal, with five scoring multiple times.
 
Kayla Bomben has started all but one match for Northwestern State, playing an average of 75 minutes a game. She's allowed seven goals this season, about 1.04 goals a game, and has 10 saves with a .588 save percentage.
 
UP NEXT
 
Lamar will hit the road next weekend for Southland Conference games at Sam Houston State (Sept. 28) and at Stephen F. Austin (Sept. 30) then return to the LU Soccer Complex for a game against Southeastern Louisiana (Oct. 5).