ADA – The East Central University soccer team is at home for the final matches of the 2015 season and they are must-win matches for the Tigers in order for them to have a chance to make the 2015 Great American Conference Championship. ECU will first face Ouachita Baptist, Thursday, Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. and then Harding, Saturday, Oct. 31 at 11 a.m. at Tiger Field.
ECU is currently three points behind Southern Nazarene in the GAC standings, with SNU having played an extra match. The Crimson Storm travel to Southwestern and Northwestern this weekend. If the Tigers are still within three points of SNU and would not lose the spot with the tie-breaker scenarios after the weekend, they will then play their make-up match with Oklahoma Baptist, Monday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. at Tiger Field.
Saturday's match against Harding is set as the annual Senior Day, where ECU will honor its six seniors prior to the start of the match. This year the Tigers will say goodbye to
Kaitie Herrin,
Krista Kahl,
Megan Lantrip,
Taylor Lowe,
Hunter Malcolm and
Kelsey Pickrell.
Ouachita Baptist heads into the week with a 9-6 overall record and a 7-2 mark in the GAC. The other Tigers will face Harding, Tuesday, Oct. 27 at home before heading to Ada. OBU has a 29-20 lead in goals scored over their opponents this season, despite trailing 238 to 262 in shots taken.
While Ouachita has had 12 different players score this season, Hayley Hatcher leads the team with 13 goals and an assist. Bryson Thomas is next on the list with four goals and an assist. Lauren Llanes has seen almost all the time in net, stopping 79 shots and allowing 20 goals.
Thursday's game will break a 7-7 tie in the all-time series with Ouachita, but OBU does hold a 4-6 advantage when playing as GAC teams. That lead disappears when playing in Ada, as ECU is 5-0 at home in the series.
Harding is 12-2-2 overall and is the current leader in the GAC with a 9-0-1 record. The Bisons have had a strong offense this season, scoring 44 goals and allowing just 10. Harding is also leading its opponents with a 22.5 to 9.1 shots per game average.
The Bisons have had 13 different players score, including eight that have multiple goals for the year. However, Bethany Sutherland clearly leads the team with 18 goals and three assists. Carley Stevens is next with six goals and an assist. Kaitlyn Miller has been in goal for all but nine minutes this season and has recorded nine shutouts, allowed 10 goals and stopped 60 shots.
The Tigers hold an 8-5 overall advantage in the all-time series with Harding and are tied at five matches each in GAC action. ECU also holds a 4-2 lead when playing at Tiger Field, but their last home win was Oct. 11, 2013 (3-2).
