CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas women's soccer team continues ASUN play on the road, heading out to the Bluegrass State to face Eastern Kentucky on Thursday. The Bears and Colonels kick off at 3 p.m. CT, due to EKU not having lights at the soccer field.
Central Arkansas (3-5, 0-1 ASUN) will look to get back on track after dropping its ASUN opener at North Alabama on Sunday. Despite leading basically every major offensive category and possessing the ball for the majority of the match, the Bears just couldn't find that all-important equalizer.
The Bears will continue to look for the final play as the ASUN schedule continues, which has usually come at the feet of
Trace Pavatt and
Caroline Billings. The duo has a combined seven goals and two assists, scoring half of the goals for Central Arkansas this year. Seven other players have scored a goal, and the playmaking has been headlined by
Sakiko Manabe's four assists and
Megan Moudy's three.
In the four matches played between the teams, the home team has won all four. Three matches have been played in Conway, with only the meeting in 2022 played in Richmond. Also of note, all four games have been decided by a single score, including last year's 1-0 win for the Bears.
EKU (6-2-2, 1-1 ASUN) split its opening weekend of ASUN play, falling in shutout fashion at Lipscomb before returning the favor with a 1-0 shutout at Austin Peay. Against the Govs, it was Avery May's 36
th minute goal that proved to be the difference in a closely contested match. The goal was May's second, and she became the fifth Colonel to log multiple goals this season.
Ella Grode leads the team with 14 points, recording six goals and two assists. The Colonels also boast the ASUN's leader in assists, Chiara Premoli, who has six helpers this year. EKU sits right in the middle of the pack this season in the ASUN in scoring margin, having scored 18 and allowed 18 goals this year.
Kickoff on Thursday is set for 3 p.m. CT in Richmond, Kentucky. The match will be streamed on ESPN+, with live stats available online.
