ADA – The East Central University soccer team will make its annual trip to Arkansas to face the two teams from the Great American Conference that are located in the state. The Tigers (4-4-1, 1-1-1 GAC) will first make a stop in Searcy, Ark., to play Harding, Thursday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. ECU will then make the trip to Arkadelphia, Ark., to battle with Ouachita Baptist, Saturday, Oct. 7 at 3 p.m.
Harding and Ouachita are currently tied for third in the GAC standings, just one spot and two points above the Tigers.
ECU is coming off a 1-0 loss to Oklahoma Baptist for their first conference loss of the year last Saturday. The match was the only one in the week, as Thursday's match against Southern Nazarene was postponed due to rainy weather.
The Tiger's loss was the first since Sept. 5, making it a five-match streak without a loss and they ended it with a 4-0-1 record.
ECU is now averaging 2.22 goals per match and allowing just a 0.89 mark by the opposition. The Tigers have five players that have multiple goals on the year and a total of 13 players that have scored their 20 goals on the year. Sophomore
Kay Woodring leads the team with three goals, while junior
Kendall Cook, freshman
Allie Verner, sophomore
Jordyn Gibbs and freshman
Courtney Tracy each netting two.
Harding is currently 3-5-2 overall and 2-2 in the GAC after defeating Southwestern and falling to Northwestern last weekend. The Bisons will face Ouachita, Tuesday, Oct. 3 before hosting ECU.
Harding is averaging 1.20 goals per match, while allowing 1.80 on the year, while also trailing 14.0 to 17.5 in shots per match. Of the Bisons 12 goals on the year, Bethany Sutherland has garnered nine of them, while also leading the team with 40 shots (17 shots on goal).
Anna Claire Lewis and Jessica Woessner have split time in net, with Lewis appearing in nine of the 10 matches and Woessner all 10. Woessner has a 1.96 goals against average and has stopped 44 shots, while Lewis adds a 1.45 GAA and 25 saves.
Since 1998, the teams have met on 16 previous occasions, with ECU holding a slight 9-7 lead overall. The Tigers trail 6-7 when playing as GAC opponents and the series is tied (4-4) when playing in Searcy, Ark.
Before its match with Harding Tuesday, Ouachita has a 2-6-1 overall mark and a 2-2 mark in the GAC. The Tigers defeated Northwestern last Thursday, before falling to Southwestern on the road Saturday.
Ouachita trails 1.25 to 2.50 in goals per match on the season with its opponents, while also trailing 10.9 to 22.3 in shots per match. Bryson Thomas has tallied three of the 10 goals on the season, while Kiara Rolen adds two for the only players to score multiple goals.
Erin Webster has seen most of the time in net, starting in seven matches, allowing 14 goals and stopping 52 shots. Heather McLarry has played in three matches, with five goals against and 11 saves.
The all-time series with Ouachita is in favor of the purple and gold Tigers. ECU trails 7-10 overall, 4-8 in GAC action and 2-7 when playing on the road.
