LITTLE ROCK – Little Rock prepares to compete in a pair of matches this weekend, beginning with a trip to Jonesboro for a rivalry showdown with Arkansas State Friday. The Trojans then return home for the final non-conference game of 2017, facing UT-Rio Grande Valley Sunday.
Trojan Report
| Game 11: Little Rock vs. UTRGV |
| Date |
Sunday, September 24 |
| Time |
1 p.m. |
| Location |
Little Rock, Ark. |
| Stadium |
Coleman Sports & Recreation Complex |
| Stats |
Statbroadcast |
| Video |
Little Rock All-Access |
Little Rock enters the weekend with an overall record of 4-4-1, including an 0-0-1 mark in Sun Belt Conference play. The Trojans are seeking for their first road win of the 2017 season while remaining unbeaten at home, compiling a 4-0-1 mark at the Coleman Sports Complex.
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Trojan Leaders
Through the first nine games of 2017, Little Rock continues to be led by
Doro Greulich's five goals and 11 points, ranking among the Sun Belt Conference leaders. Four other Trojans have posted a pair of goals on the season, including
Quin Wilkes,
Arola Aparicio Gili,
Jaclyn Purvine and
Camilla Olsson, with Wilkes and Aparacio Gili each adding a pair of assists, sitting at six points on the season.
Sairra Tucker has added a pair of assists as well as Wilkes' 27 shots continues to lead the Trojans. Defensively,
Megan Swanson has registered 43 saves on the year, posting a 3-4-1 record.
Last Time Out
Little Rock came within two seconds of earning three crucial points in the Sun Belt Conference race, but Louisiana slipped a shot into the goal off a scramble in front of the net, then the two teams battled to a 1-1 tie Sunday.
Arola Aparicio Gili opened up the scoring in the 36th minute for the Trojans, leading to a dramatic second half which saw both teams earning key scoring chances. Goalkeeper
Megan Swanson was a key component for Little Rock, making a career-best nine saves.
Scouting the Red Wolves
Arkansas State is 5-3 on the year, including a 1-1 mark in Sun Belt Conference play, falling to Louisiana in double overtime before earning a 4-1 win over Troy. The Red Wolves have outscored the opposition 15-8 on the year, led by Sarah Sodoma's five goals and 11 points on the year, taking a team-best 16 shots. Dana O'Boyle has added three goals and an assists while Maggie Ertl and Hailey Furio have each notched six points (two goals and two assists). Goalkeeper Kelsey Ponder is 4-1 in net for the Red Wolves, registering 28 saves and allowing 0.59 goals per game.
Scouting the Vaqueros
UT-Rio Grande Valley enters the week with a 4-3-2 overall record, traveling to Oral Roberts Friday night before taking on the Trojans Sunday. The Vaqueros are 0-1-2 on the road in 2017 while registering a 4-2 record at home. UTRGV has three players with a pair of goals each, including Diandra Aliaga, Anna Hover and Andreya Barrera. Hover and Sarah Bonney each have a pair of assists for the Vaqueros with Aliaga leading the way with 21 shots. UTRGV has used a pair of goalkeepers on the year as Erica Gonzalez is 3-1-1 with 17 saves, complemented by Kinga Szemik's 1-2-1 record with 18 saves as the team is allowing 0.62 goals per game.
Series History
Friday's game will be the 18th all-time meeting between rivals Little Rock and Arkansas State as the Red Wolves hold a slim 8-7-2 edge in the series. The Trojans have had the upper hand in recent years, however, winning three-straight matches against Arkansas State as head coach
Adrian Blewitt is 3-1 all-time against the Red Wolves. Sunday marks the first meeting in program history between Little Rock and UT-Rio Grande Valley.
Blewitt Aiming For 40
Head coachÂ
Adrian Blewitt's impact on the Little Rock program has already etched him among the Trojan record book. In his fifth season, Blewitt is already Little Rock's all-time winningest coach with 39 wins, four better than Greg Hess' 35 from 2001-07, while his .489 winning percentage is second only to Logan Fleck's .540 tally from 1987-88. Blewitt, who boasts an overall career coaching record of 240-161-20, also ranks second in program history in conference victories, tallying 12 in his first four seasons in Little Rock.
Looking Ahead
Little Rock closes out its three game home stand with a pair of Sun Belt Conference games next week, beginning with a Louisiana-Monroe on Friday, September 29. The Trojans then close out a stretch of five home games over a six-game span, hosting Coastal Carolina on Sunday, October 1.
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