Midwestern State vs. Angelo State
Friday, Sept. 26, 2014 | 7 p.m.
ASU Soccer Field | San Angelo, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (4-0-3); Angelo State (6-0)
Video: AngeloSports.com 
Live Stats: AngeloSports.com 
 
Midwestern State vs. St. Edward's
Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014 | 1 p.m.
Lewis-Chen Family Field | Austin, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (4-0-3); St. Edward's (4-2)
Video: Athletics.StEdwards.edu 
Live Stats: Athletics.StEdwards.edu 
 
ON THE PITCH
The real season begins right now for unbeaten Midwestern State. The Mustangs take on 11th-ranked and undefeated Angelo State (6-0) in their Lone Star Conference opener Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. before finishing the weekend against defending South Central Region champion St. Edward's Sunday in Austin.
 
ABOUT THE RAMBELLES
- Angelo State is one of 10 remaining undefeated sides in NCAA Division II and is off to the best start in program history at 6-0.
- The Rambelles have outscored the opposition by a 28-3 margin the season and rank second in NCAA Division II in scoring offense (4.67 goals per game), third in assists per game (3.33) and third in total points per game (12.67).
- Angelo State has scored at least four goals in each of its six matches this season.
- Sophomore Haley Mendel leads the 'Belles offensive ranking eighth in the nation with seven goals. She dropped a hat trick in a 4-1 win over Colorado Mesa, scored twice in a 4-2 win over Adams State (Colo.) and accounted for tallies against New Mexico Highlands and Oklahoma Christian.
- Fourteen difference players have scored goals for ASU this season with multiple goals from freshman midfielder Loni Byers (3), junior forward Sierra Anderson (3), sophomore forward Jenny Kotowych (2), senior forward Brianne Brown (2), freshman midfielder Elizabeth Rodriguez (2) and sophomore midfielder Cynthia Andrews (2).
- Junior Shantel Wittke has allowed three goals in five starts and 435 minutes between the posts for the 'Belles for a 0.89 goals against average. She has posted three clean sheets.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State meets Angelo State for the 28th time on the pitch Friday afternoon at the ASU Soccer Field in a series that dates back to the 1995 season.
- The Mustangs lead the all time series 14-7-6, but the teams have split the 12 previous matchups in San Angelo -- 4-4-4.
- The teams split the series last season with ASU claiming a 1-0 win in Wichita Falls before MSU rolled to a 3-2 win later in the season at the ASU Soccer Field.
- The teams also shared the 2013 Lone Star Conference title with matching 7-2-1 league records.
- Midwestern claimed the LSC Postseason Tournament championship advancing on penalty kicks over Texas A&M-Commerce and West Texas A&M at the ASU Soccer Field.
 
ABOUT THE HILLTOPPERS
- St. Edward's is coming off of a 3-1 loss to Texas Woman's Sunday in Denton to go to 4-2 on the season.
- The Hilltoppers winning formula is simplified. Each of SEU's wins have been shutouts, while the Hilltoppers dropped both games they let in goals -- three to TWU and one to Colorado Mines.
- Senior Riana Soobadoo leads the St. Edward's attack with three goals, while senior forward Cailyn Trapani and freshman midfielder Wytneigh Duffie have accounted for two goals apiece.
- Sophomore goalkeeper Lorrie Santoy ranks 64th in NCAA Division II with a 0.71 goals against average and is 88th in the nation in save percentage at 0.81.
- St. Edward's rolled to an 18-1-3 mark in 2013 carrying an unbeaten mark into the national quarterfinals before taking a 2-0 loss to Western Washington.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
- Midwestern State meets St. Edward's for the 15th time on the pitch Sunday afternoon in Austin.
- The Hilltoppers own a slim 7-5-2 edge in the series that dates back to the 1995 season.
- MSU makes its first trip to Austin to battle St. Edward's for the first time since 2005.
- The Hilltoppers hold a 4-2 edge on their home field against MSU and have won the last three games against the Mustangs on their home pitch.
- Midwestern last won against St. Edward's in Austin on Sept. 11, 1999 -- taking a 1-0 result.
 
MUSTANGS NOTEBOOK
- The Mustangs are unbeaten through seven matches for just the second time in program history and for the first time since the 2009 squad ran out to a 9-0-2 start.
- MSU is unbeaten in its last 12 regular season matches dating back to a 1-0 loss to Texas A&M-Commerce on Oct. 18, 2013.
- Freshman striker Destinee Williamson (Bedford, Texas) has accounted for points in four consecutive matches including her first multiple-goal performance scoring two goals against Southern Nazarene Tuesday night.
- Williamson (Bedford, Texas) worked for 11 shots Friday against Lubbock Christian which ranks as the second most in a single match in program history and the most since Lindsay Pritchard had 12 shots against Southwest Baptist (Mo.) on Sept. 8, 2011.
- Junior forward Ashley Cottrell (Arlington, Texas) has found the back of the net in each of her last three games accounting for tallies against Oklahoma Christian and Lubbock Christian then went for a goal and an assist against Southern Nazarene.
- Cottrell's 21 career goals ranks eighth on MSU's all-time goal scoring list as she needs five more to match Dayna Sanders (2000-03).
- Sophomore forward/midfielder Nicole Coetzer (Trophy Club, Texas) matched Williamson for team-high season honors with her fourth goal which came in the final minute of play Tuesday against Southern Nazarene.
- Junior defender Alexandria Edwards (Mansfield, Texas) headed in her second goal of the season off of a corner kick in the 90th minute Tuesday against Southern Nazarene.
- Junior midfielder Morgan Hannon (Midland, Texas) knocked in her first goal of the season Tuesday night against Southern Nazarene. It was her first goal since tallying the game winner in a 2-0 win over Southwestern Oklahoma on Nov. 3, 2013.
- All three of Hannon's collegiate goals have come against sides based in Oklahoma -- Rogers State, Southwestern Oklahoma and Southern Nazarene.
- Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Courtney Burnette (Irving, Texas) continues to lead the LSC in goals against average (0.52), shutouts (4), save percentage (.925) and saves per game (7.00).
 
THE CLARKE ERA BEGINS
- Damian Clarke is in his eighth overall season as a head coach boasting the 11th best winning percentage amongst NCAA Division II coaches at 110-31-19 (.747).
- Clarke led Fort Lewis to NCAA playoff appearances in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013 as the Skyhawks advanced to the Elite Eight in 2010.
- Clarke is a three-time NSCAA Central Region and RMAC Coach of the Year.
 
NEXT UP
Midwestern State continues Lone Star Conference play with a pair of home games next weekend at the MSU Soccer Field. The Mustangs battle Texas Woman's on Friday and Texas A&M-Commerce on Sunday.