A&M-Corpus Christi Faces Stiff Road Tests at Northwestern State, McNeese

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NATCHITOCHES, La. – Going up against the two first-place teams in the Southland Conference standings, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's soccer program will head to Northwestern State for a 7 p.m. game at the Lady Demon Soccer Complex, and to McNeese for a 1 p.m. matchup Sunday at Cowgirl Field.
 
It will be the fourth and fifth games of a lengthy six-game road swing for A&M-Corpus Christi (4-7-2, 2-3-2 SLC), which is going over a month between home games. NSU (9-3-2, 6-1-1 SLC) and McNeese (6-4-3, 6-1-1 SLC) are tied for first-place.
 
"This is the first and hardest road weekend of the year. I'm excited to see our young team compete against the best two teams in the conference," said head coach Craig Shaw. "The team is getting better and better, and the goals will come."
 
The Islanders have the opportunity to climb up the standings and are just three points out of third-place. They've already beaten McNeese this season with a 1-0 win on Sept. 17 in Corpus Christi on a goal by sophomore Maggie Murray.
 
Murray is one of five Islanders to score a goal this season. Junior Samantha Palomino leads the team with four goals, while senior Reaghan Lang has scored three. Murray and freshman Megan Guy have each scored twice, and sophomore Olivia Alvarez once.
 
Palomino is one of four Islanders to start in all 13 games along with junior midfielder Emma Gibbs and sophomore defenders Emma Herrera and Reese Cross. Herrera, Gibbs and freshman defender Emma Crump have all logged over 1,000 minutes to date.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi continues to flip-flop goalkeepers. Freshman Emily Levy made the last start against HBU and made six saves. Sophomore Kennedy Stelling has made 10 starts with 72 saves.
 
The Lady Demons are coming off a 2-0 road weekend at Nicholls and Southeastern where they didn't concede a goal. Olivia Draguicevich has been the conference's top offensive threat with 10 goals scored.
 
McNeese is on a five-game unbeaten streak and haven't lost since its trip to Corpus Christi. Rachel Young ranks second in the league in goals with six.
 
The last time the Islanders played NSU and McNeese on the road they both resulted in wins. A&M-Corpus Christ beat the Cowgirls 3-0 in the spring and defeated the Lady Demons 1-0 in 2019.
 
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