Coming off a 5-2 win over Mississippi Valley State on Sunday, the Central Arkansas women's soccer team opens Southland Conference play tonight as they take on Sam Houston State in Huntsville, Texas, beginning an 11-match conference slate leading into the conference tournament to be held in Conway at the Bill Stephens Complex in November.

The Bears (3-5-0) meet up with a Bearkat team that is 3-3-1 overall with a 1-1 tie against Baylor in their lone home match to date. SHSU began the season with wins over Louisiana-Lafayette and UTSA before going winless in their next four contests prior to a 4-0 win over Prairie View A&M in their last contest. The Bearkats narrowly defeated the Bears 1-0 last season in Conway and would go on to an 8-2-1 Southland mark and 2nd-place finish in the league standings. The Bearkats were picked to finish 2nd in this year's Southland coaches preseason poll and 3rd by the league's sports information directors. The Bears were slotted 10th and 11th.

The Bears come in searching for their first win over the Bearkats since 2007, with SHSU having defeated Central Arkansas by a single goal in each of the last three years.

Tonight's match is set for a 6:30 start. The Bears return home to the Stephens Complex next weekend, hosting McNeese State on Friday and Lamar on Sunday.