The Mustangs take their No. 22 ranking to Houston against UH and Rice.
This weekend the SMU women’s soccer team travels to Houston to play the University of Houston and Rice University.
The Mustangs take a No. 22 ranking, a perfect conference record and a seven game winning streak into Houston. Against Conference-USA the Mustangs are 3-0, scoring seven goals and only allowing two. And during the seven-game winning streak SMU has outscored its opponents 18 to 5.
Along with the overall ranking the Mustangs are 23rd in scoring offense averaging 2.3 goals a game, 19th in win, loss, tie percentage with a record of 10-2-1 and are 20th in shutout percentage with eight. The Mustangs also hold an RPI ranking of 16th, the highest ranking in C-USA and in the central region.
Olivia O’Rear is also ranked 27th in goals per game with nine goals in 13 games.
The Cougars come into the game with a record of 7-7, and a conference record of 1-3. But Houston is a much tougher opponent at home with a 6-1 record at home and a 1-6 record on the road.
After a conference opening win over Southern Miss, Houston has dropped three straight, including two 5-1 losses. The Cougars are led by Sophia Mundy and Courtney Gaines who each have team leading eight goals. When Houston strikes they do it in the first half, 21 of their 33 goals come in the first half of a game.
Goalkeeper Shelby Scott has played the most out of the three goalies that the Cougars have used. Scott has played in all 14 games and allowed 25 goals on 98 shots and has recorded three shutouts.
SMU is Rice’s last home game of the season. The Owl’s only three losses have come in C-USA play. Rice is 9-3-1 on the season, with a 1-3 conference record. Clory Martin leads the Owls with six goals on the season, she also leads the team in points with 16.
In goal for Rice has been Amy McClintock who has started all 13 games this season. McClintock has only allowed five goals on 57 shots, and has recorded eight of the teams nine wins.
The Owls don’t allow many goals, but they have allowed only one first half goal all season, and have outscored their opponents 32-6 so far this year. Rice will be coming off a game against Tulsa on Friday before playing the Mustangs on Sunday.
All three teams have played both UTEP and Colorado College. Out of those match-ups the Mustangs are the only team to have beaten both of them. Houston and Rice lost both games.
The Mustangs play Houston Friday night and Rice on Sunday. SMU will return home on Oct. 20 to play Marshall at Westcott.
