WICHITA FALLS, Texas – No. 8-ranked Midwestern State is coming off its first loss of the season as it hosts Sul Ross State on Saturday morning. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. 

Riley Sims scored three goals in the opening 17 and a half minutes, and West Texas A&M defeated the Mustangs at The Pitch in Canyon, Texas on Wednesday night, 3-1. Sloane Sullivan scored her fourth goal of the season in the 27th minute, but the Mustangs were unable to overcome the early three-goal deficit.

Midwestern State fell to 11-1-1 overall with a 7-1-1 record in the Lone Star Conference. The Mustangs are 7-0-0 at Stang Park, where they have a 26-game unbeaten streak. The last home loss came against Dallas Baptist on Oct. 21 of 2023. The Patriots 3-1 win at Stang Park was 1,083 days ago. The Mustangs have a nine-game winning streak on home ground since their 1-1 draw with UT Tyler on Oct. 26 of last year.

Goalkeeper Lauren Short has the third-best goals-against average in the LSC at 0.4 and has posted nine shutouts this season. She also has one combined shutout for the Stangs, who need one clean sheet to tie the school record of 11 shutouts set in 2006. Short has the third-best save percentage in the conference at .853.

Midwestern State is outscoring its opponents 31-5 and boasts the eighth best goal differential in NCAA Division II at plus-26. 

The Mustangs are second in the conference with 2.4 goals per game, which is 29th in the nation. Fourteen different players have scored goals for MSU this season, and 14 players have recorded at least one assist for the Stangs.

Gonzales leads the team with 16 points (6 g, 4 a).  Sloane Sullivan has a goal and two assists in her last two games and is second on the team with 13 points (4 g, 5 a). Madison Brinkley, who scored her second game-winning goal of the season in the 80th minute against Oklahoma Christian, has 11 points (4 g, 3 a).

Binky Mendez and Bella Pillow have each scored two goals for the Stangs. Seven players have scored one, including Leeci Snyder, who has four assists this season. 

The Mustangs are averaging 2.5 assists per game and 7.2 points per game, which are both second in the LSC.

The Mustangs are outshooting opponents, 18-7, per game. Opponents have only managed 34 shots on goal. An opponent had not taken more than five shots on goal against MSU in 31 straight matches before the Lady Buffs managed eight shots on goal in their win on Wednesday. 

Sul Ross State lost its two previous encounters with the Mustangs, including a 6-0 loss at Stang Park two years ago. Last year, MSU overwhelmed the Lobos as Marlene Myrvold had a goal and an assist in the 5-0 victory. Jimena Rodriguez also scored for the Stangs in their first-ever trip to Alpine, Texas. 

Sul Ross State (1-7-3, 1-5-2) snapped a 10-game winless streak with a 3-2 win over St. Mary's on Wednesday afternoon in Alpine. Gabby Trevino scored twice, including the game-winning goal in the 87th minute, and Kiersten Rowland scored her third goal of the season for the Lobos.

Opponents have outscored Sul Ross State this season, 24-6, and the Lobos have been shut out eight times this season.

Rowland is the leading goal scorer for Sul Ross State, while Trevino has two goals. Former MSU defender Averi Culver scored the other goal for the Lobos in a 3-1 loss to Angelo State on Sept. 30.

Goalkeeper Kat Graves has started eight games for Sul Ross State and is 0-6-2 with a 2.12 goals-against average and a .818 save percentage. Chloe Witte made her second start against St. Mary's and improved to 1-1-0 with a 2.5 goals-against average and a .750 save percentage. Avery Owen has started one game, made three appearances and is 0-0-1 with a 2.5 goals-against average and a .750 save percentage.

The Stangs stay home for another match on Wednesday night as Angelo State visits Stang Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.