Conway – The Central Arkansas women's soccer team is set to begin the 2016 season with a pair of matches this weekend. The Bears will travel to Columbia, Missouri for a match against the Missouri Tigers at 6:30 PM this evening, before returning home for a 7:00 PM match against Little Rock on Sunday.

The Bears will look to an experienced group of players, as they return 10 of 11 starters from last year's squad. 2015 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year Camille Bassett will lead the attack, while juniors Allie Moroney, Stacia Carroll, and Karly Kliever, along with sophomore Kristen Ricks, will anchor the UCA defense. The Bears will look to seniors Shelby Wilson and Allie Coleman in the midfield.

Missouri, who was picked to finish to finish 6^th in the SEC, is led by senior midfielder Melanie Donaldson, a 2015 All-SEC second team pick following a season in which she tallied a goal and two assists. Junior forward Jessica Johnson (4 goals, 3 assists in 2015) is the leading returning scorer for the Tigers, while senior defender Jasmine Johnson leads a back line that set a program record for fewest goals allowed last season.

The Bears will return to the friendly confines of the Bill Stephens Complex on Sunday. At home last season, UCA compiled a record of 5-3-1 while averaging 2.33 goals per game and recording 14 assists.

Central Arkansas will look to continue that home success against Little Rock, who is picked to finish fifth in the Sun Belt. The Trojans, just like the Bears, will look to experience, as they lost no seniors off of last season's team. Senior forward Shannon Shields (6 goals, 5 assists in 2015) leads the Trojan offense, while Preseason All-Sun Belt selection Caitlyn Eddy anchors the midfield.

Friday will be the first meeting between Central Arkansas and Missouri, while Sunday's match will be the eighth meeting between the Bears and Trojans. Little Rock currently holds a 6-1 edge in the all-time series.