CONWAY, Ark. – Back at home for just the third time this season, the Central Arkansas men's soccer team gears up for what could be the most impactful game of the ASUN season. A rematch of last season's conference championship final, the Bears face No. 23 Lipscomb on Saturday, with a noon kickoff.
 
Perfect through three conference matches, Central Arkansas (4-3-1, 3-0 ASUN) hosts the Bisons after taking a 3-1 win over Stetson last Saturday. Stuck at zeroes through the first half, Richy Lapointe-Guevara opened the scoring in the 54^th minute. After being equalized, the Bears found two more goals to secure the win, as Jerry Gutierrez and Sebastian Andreassen each scored their third goals of the season.
 
With the win, Central Arkansas remains at the top of the standings in the ASUN, tied with Lipscomb at three wins, or nine points, apiece. Like the Bisons, the Bears have allowed just one goal in conference play, surrendering just the one score to Stetson.
 
The teams played twice last season, both times in Nashville, Tenn., on the campus of Lipscomb. The regular season match went to overtime, where the Bisons finally won on a goal in the 98^th minute. Meeting again in the conference tournament final, the game went to Lipscomb as well, with the Bears dropping a 4-0 decision. Back in Conway, the match will be held at the Bill Stephens Track and Soccer Complex for the first time since 2014.
 
Lipscomb enters the weekend with a 7-1-1 record on the year, also with a perfect 3-0 start to ASUN play. Most recently, the Bisons defeated RV Georgia State on Tuesday, securing a 3-0 win over the Panthers. Opening the scoring with a 30^th minute PK, Lipscomb scored two more goals in the second half to give itself a two-match winning streak.
 
So far this year, Lipscomb has claimed conference wins over Jacksonville, Liberty and Queens, outscoring them 8-1. Those three opponents make up three of the bottom four in the conference standings, with Queens joining the ASUN this season after moving up from the Division II ranks. Yet, the Bisons haven't faced a soft schedule, with wins over No. 10 Saint Louis and FAU, with the only blemish on their schedule coming at the hands of No. 5 Kentucky.
 
Saturday's matchup against Lipscomb comes with huge implications for the rest of the season, with the winner having a leg up on what could be a two- or three-horse race for the ASUN title. Having the same opponents for the entirety of the conference schedule, tie-breakers could ultimately point to whatever the result of this weekend is, should things hold the rest of the way for both sides.
 
Kickoff against the Bisons is set for noon on Saturday at the Bill Stephens Track and Soccer Complex. The match will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available here.