CONWAY, Ark. – ASUN play starts tomorrow for the Central Arkansas women's soccer team, as the Bears head to North Alabama. Kickoff against the Lions is set for 1 p.m.
 
The Bears (3-4) ended non-conference play with three wins for the first time since 2021, meeting the challenging slate of games head-on and picking up some good results. Last time out, Central Arkansas fell narrowly to Missouri State, dropping a 1-0 contest after the match stayed scoreless for more than an hour.
 
Trace Pavatt leads the team in scoring, netting four goals this year. She and Caroline Billings, who has three goals of her own, have been the top scorers not only just for the Bears, but both rank in the top-10 in the ASUN this season. On the ball-movement side, Sakiko Manabe ranks second in the ASUN with four assists, and Megan Moudy is right behind her at three.
 
The series against North Alabama has been all Bears since the teams joined the ASUN. In four years in the conference, Central Arkansas is 3-0-1 against the Lions, allowing just two goals in the four meetings. Last year, Jama Akpanudo played the role of hero, scoring the game-winner in the 79^th minute, just six minutes after North Alabama had leveled the score.
 
North Alabama is 4-2-2 heading into the start of ASUN play, with wins over Troy, SEMO, Alabama State, and most recently, Tennessee Tech. North Alabama has relied heavily on its defense, allowing just three goals in 2025, while scoring just nine of its own.
 
Alice Bussey leads the team in scoring, with four goals to her name. All four of her goals have come in the last five matches, and she's been the winning score three times this season. In goal, Bowling Green transfer Madison Vukas has faced ten or more shots in all but two matches, making 44 saves on the year while allowing just three goals. She leads the ASUN in goals against average, saves, and shutouts.
 
Kickoff against North Alabama is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday. The match will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available online.