SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist (5-7-2, 4-2-2 GAC) is on the road for two matches this week. The first comes at Harding on Oct. 25 and then at Ouachita on the 28th.
There are four matches remaining in the regular season. As it stands, Ouachita sits in first with 18 points while Southern Nazarene and OBU are tied for second with 14 points. After that, Southwestern checks in at fourth with 11 points. At the conclusion of the regular season, the top four teams make the conference's tournament with the top seed earning hosting rights.
Bison Notes
- OBU shut out its fourth team in five matches after last week's 2-0 win over East Central.
- Freshman Sophia Ziesemer tallied the game-winner and added an assist in the victory.
- She is one of only four GAC players with multiple game-winning goals this season and one of only two freshmen with 2+ GW goals.
- As of late, the Bison's starting defensive unit comprised of Mia Pendleton, Michaela White, Asley Baker and Brae Baker have been outstanding. Pendleton has an .889 save percentage while her four teammates have given up 3.9 shots on goal per game.
- Pendleton is second in the GAC with 60 saves this season and third in shutouts (5).
- Kaylee Swaner continues to lead the GAC in assists (5) while ranking fourth in points (7). She is also sixth in shots on goal (13) while teammate Avril Baccam ranks fourth (14).
- The Bison's offensive attack has been good this season, ranking second in the GAC at 13.43 shots per game. Only one GAC team, Harding, has held the Bison under 10+ shots this year. That came during HU's 2-0 win in Shawnee on Oct. 7.
- Wednesday's match at Harding will be the second meeting this year. A couple weeks ago, HU's 2-0 victory snapped the Bison's 12-match winning streak in the series.
Harding Notes
- Since Harding's win over OBU, it has tied Ouachita and lost to SWOSU and Northwestern, each by 2-1 counts.
- HU's record heading into Wednesday's contest is 3-7-5 and 1-4-4 in the GAC.
- Of note, HU has scored in back-to-back games for the first time since its first two matches of the season against Southwest Baptist (Aug. 31) and Northeastern State (9/3).
- HU's biggest threat is Whitney Thomas. She has four goals, ranking fifth in the GAC. Thomas had a goal in the previous matchup against the Bison.
- Three different players have tallied two assists: Regan Thompson, Caitlann Potter and Gabie Eddins.
- As a team, Harding ranks third in the league with 12 helpers.
- Goalie Maysa Willis ranks second in the GAC in both goals against average (.721) and save percentage (.887).
- During the previous match on Oct. 7, both Willis and Michaela Potter defended the goal and tallied four saves.
Ouachita Notes
- The Tigers are 8-1-6 and 5-1-3 in the GAC. Its only loss came Oct. 5 in Shawnee, 2-0.
- Most recently, Ouachita is 2-0-2 with victories against East Central and SWOSU as well as ties versus Northwestern Oklahoma State and Harding.
- Ouachita is the second-best scoring team in the GAC with 20 goals, a 1.33 average.
- Jamie Fowler leads the team and ranks third in the conference with five goals.
- Plus, Fowler is tied for second with three assists and third in points (13).
- Senior midfielder Sydni Perry also has registered three assists for the Tigers.
- Ouachita possesses the best goalie in the league in Michele Snow. She is the GAC leader in goals against average (.405), save percentage (.906) and shutouts (9).
- The Tigers will look to beat the Bison for the first time since Oct. 2, 2021. Over the last five matches, the Bison are 4-0-1 against Ouachita, which included a win last season in the GAC Tournament.
