SMU forward Logan May (10) is slidetackled by UTEP’s Claudia Oliva (16) in a 1-0 victory for the Mustangs on Sept. 28 at Westcott Field. (Lindsey Perkins)
The SMU women’s soccer team travels to Houston on Wednesday to play in the Conference USA Tournament, at Rice Soccer Stadium on Nov. 5-9.
Failing to make it to the Conference USA Tournament last season, SMU closed the 2007 season at 8-7-1 and 4-5 in C-USA. In 2006, the Mustangs defeated Tulsa in the first round of the C-USA Tournament in a 2-0 shutout in Dallas, but fell to Colorado College in the semifinal round, 4-1. Still on a successful streak, SMU went on to the NCAA Tournament, winning over McNeese State 2-0, but fell in a 4-0 loss in round two to Texas A&M.
The No.8 Mustangs (6-12-1,4-7-0) will face No. 1 East Carolina (12-3-4, 7-0-4) today at 12 p.m., followed by the No.4 University of Texas at El Paso against No.5 Colorado College. The winner between SMU and ECU will play either UTEP or Colorado College in the semifinal round on Thursday.
Finals will take place on Friday at 1 p.m.
In the last meeting between the ECU Pirates and SMU Mustangs, East Carolina came away with a 2-1 victory in the third week of conference play. SMU managed to hang in with the Pirates, nearly matching ECU for shots at 12-11 in favor of the Pirates. The teams did not meet in 2007, but SMU did pull off a victory over the Pirates in a 1-0 at home win in 2006. The last time these teams met in the postseason, the first round game resulted in a 0-0 tie in 2005.
“We actually felt like we played a lot better that game,” said head coach Brent Erwin, on the team’s meeting in October. “We felt it was a game we had a good chance to win. It will be a hard game on Wednesday, but I think we have an excellent chance to win.”
Currently leading the Mustangs is freshman forward Logan May. With three goals and two assists on the season, May leads SMU with eight points. In her first season on the Hilltop, May was credited with the game-winning goal in SMU’s 1-0 shutout over Cal State Fullerton.
Freshmen midfielder Mary Connally and injured senior forward Caitlin Carter also have three goals on the season. Sophomore forward Lauren Shepherd has three goals heading into the conference tournament, as do freshmen midfielders Devon Herrman, Dylan Jordan and sophomore defender Kristin Medeiros.
In the backfield for the Mustangs, freshman goalkeeper Courtney Webb has 54 saves, and a .806 save percentage. Getting a late start on the season, Webb now leads the SMU defense with a 1.26 goals allowed average, letting only 13 points slip past her in her 11 games. Senior goalkeeper Ashley Gunter has also had a strong presence on the Mustang’s defense, posting 50 saves in her ten games played, as well as a .704 save percentage.
“We feel that we’re good, we feel like we’ve been battle tested, and we’re battle scarred. You come into an event like this and you have a fresh start. It only matters what you do from here, so I think we’re just fine,” said Erwin.
SMU averages 1.21 goals scored per game and an 11.1 shots per game average, compared to a 1.47 goals scored per game average and 10.1 shot count by ECU. Posting seven shutouts over their opponents on the season, the Pirates also faced two overtime ties against conference foes UCF and Colorado College – two teams the Mustangs lost to during the regular season.
“They’re ready,” said Erwin regarding his team’s preparation for the tournament. “I remind them of how teams have gone form the position they’re in now and go on to win.”
As the only undefeated team in Conference USA, East Carolina is the first team to enter a conference tournament undefeated since 2002. Sharing their first regular season title with reigning conference champion Memphis, ECU won the tie-breaker between Memphis after a 2-1 win over UAB in the last week of the regular season gaining the top seed heading into the tournament.
Should the Mustangs pull off a first round win, they will face the winner between UTEP and Colorado College on Nov. 7 at 5 p.m. in the semifinal round.
“I’ll play anybody that put in front of us,” said Erwin. “It doesn’t make a difference. You just have to believe in yourself, know that you’re good, and let’s see what happens.”
