LR Set for Missouri State on ESPN3, Memphis at Home

Game 3: Little Rock at Missouri State
Date	Friday, August 26
Time	6 p.m.
Location	Springfield, Mo.
Stadium	Allison South Field
Stats	Missouri State Live Stats
Video	ESPN3
Notes	Little Rock

LITTLE ROCK – The Trojan soccer team will look to pick up its first victory of the season in two games this weekend. Little Rock first heads to Missouri State on Friday night for a game televised on ESPN3 at 6 p.m.
 
Following that trip, the Trojans return home for Sunday Night Fútbol against Memphis at the Coleman Sports & Recreation Complex at 7 p.m. Fans can come watch Sunday Night Fútbol, and the game will also have an event for Trojan Legion Club members.
 
The 2016 season got off to a tough start for the Trojans, as the team dropped its opener by a 2-0 score against Northwestern State on Friday and followed that with a 1-0 loss at Central Arkansas on Sunday.

 

Game 4: Little Rock vs. Memphis
Date	Sunday, August 28
Time	7 p.m.
Location	Little Rock, Ark.
Stadium	Coleman Sports & Recreation Complex
Stats	Statbroadcast
Video	Little Rock All-Access
Notes	Little Rock

Despite the losses, there were certainly bright spots for Little Rock. The team may have gotten unlucky with its lack of goals, as the Trojans outshot their opponent by a combined margin of 45-15. Little Rock also hit the crossbar on four combined occasions against the Demons and Bears, just missing goals by inches.
 
On offense, Shannon Shields, Harrison Hayworth and Caitlyn Eddy all tied for the team lead with eight total shots, and Hayworth and Eddy combined for three of those four crossbar strikes.
 
Only two Trojans – Nora Hellmers and Sara Small – saw all 180 minutes of playing time over the weekend as Coach Adrian Blewitt rotated his lineup. Three newcomers saw their first action of the year.
 
The Trojans will be playing a Missouri State team Friday coming off a scoreless draw on Wednesday against UMKC. The game was called in the 74th minute after a lightning delay, moving Missouri State to 0-1-1 on the year. Little Rock has beaten Missouri State in three of the last five meetings.
 
Memphis, however, won its first two games of the season by a combined score of 6-1. Three of the Tigers' goals came off the feet of Valerie Sanderson. The Trojans and Tigers have not played since 2011, and Little Rock's only victory ever against Memphis was in 1996.
 
KICK OFF

• Little Rock suffered a pair of losses to begin its season last weekend, falling by scores of 2-0 at home against Northwestern State and 1-0 at Central Arkansas.
• Despite the losses, the Trojans controlled possession and had a 3-to-1 edge in shots in the two games. Little Rock put 45 shots on the board while its opponents only managed 15.
• The Trojans hit the crossbar four times in the opening weekend, just missing out on scoring by inches.
• Only two players saw all 180 minutes of actions for the Trojans in the opening weekend: sophomore defender Nora Hellmers and senior goalkeeper Sara Small.
• Shannon Shields, Caitlyn Eddy and Harrison Hayworth all tied for the team lead with eight total shots on the weekend.
• Little Rock returns all 11 starters from last year and has a roster of 29 student-athletes in 2016 that includes 21 returners and eight newcomers.