CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas women's soccer team is on the road for the next three, starting at Abilene Christian on Sunday. Reopening the series against an old Southland foe, the Bears and Wildcats kick off at 1 p.m. in Abilene, Texas.
 
The Bears (4-5-2, 1-1 UAC) got a much needed win last time out, dominating Little Rock for their first UAC win by way of a 3-0 score. The first two goals were put home in the first 15 minutes, the first by Jama Akpanudo, whose speed in the open field continues to be a problem for opponents, and the second goal came on a corner kick, headed in by Makenna Adam. Megan Moudy later added the third on a beautiful free kick, and Anna Kathryn Harrell picked up the shutout, making six saves.
 
With the UAC a couple of games into the conference season, the Bears have several players making their marks in the conference rankings. Caroline Billings leads the UAC with five goals scored this season, Moudy is tied for second with four goals, and Akpanudo is tied for seventh with three. Sakiko Manabe and Akpanudo are tied for third in the league with four assists.
 
Central Arkansas gears up to face Abilene Christian, a team that the Bears have not faced since being in the Southland together. The Bears and Wildcats had a bunch of close battles, with eight of the nine all-time meetings being decided by one goal or a draw.
 
This season, Abilene Christian (4-2-4, 1-0-1 UAC) has put together an excellent defensive season, only allowing seven goals through eight matches. Last time out, the Wildcats got the better of Tarleton State, taking down the Texans 3-2 on the road. After surrendering the first goal, ACU rattled off three unanswered to take a commanding lead, and the eventual second goal from Tarleton State didn't mean enough in the end.
 
The Wildcats also boast one of the league's best goal contributors: Addison Briscoe has four goals and three assists to her name, responsible for seven of the team's 15 goals this year. But defense is really where Abilene Christian excels, allowing just seven goals this season. Goalkeeper Bella Medrano has three solo shutouts and has been a part of two more, and saves nearly 90 percent of shots on goal sent her way this season.
 
Kickoff against the Wildcats is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday. The game will be streamed on ACUSports.com, with live stats available online.