WHAT'S ON TAP: The Red Wolves continue their Sun Belt Conference opening weekend with a match at Troy Sunday. ASU dropped its SBC opener to South Alabama, 2-3, Friday night in Mobile. After Sunday's match ASU returns home for its conference home-opener against Louisiana-Lafayette on Oct. 3 and then host Louisiana-Monroe on Oct. 5 at the ASU Soccer Complex.
THE TEAMS: Arkansas State stands at 3-5 with a 0-1 mark in conference action. Freshmen forwards
Kara Nitti and
Sofia Turesson lead the Red Wolves through eight matches with five goals each. Troy stands at 5-3-2 after falling to UALR Friday in its opening SBC contest. Bridget Duke and Mary Morris lead the Trojans with four goals each. Troy is led by first year head coach Chris Bentley.
THINK PINK-PLAYING FOR CANCER RESEARCH: For the weekend of Oct. 3 & 5 the ASU soccer program will be playing for cancer research. On Oct. 3 when the Red Wolves take on Louisiana-Lafayette, ASU will be wearing pink jerseys in support of cancer research. Then on Oct 5 fans will get the opportunity to bid on the pink game-worn jerseys that the players wore on Oct. 3. Fifty percent of all proceeds from the match will go to a local cancer research center.
VERSUS LAST SEASON: Although at 3-5 so far this season, through eight games the Red Wolves have already eclipsed several statistical categories from a year ago. They have already scored 20 goals which is three more (17) than the entire output from 2007. On those 20 goals ASU has netted 20 assists which is five more than a year ago (15) for 60 total points which dwarfs 2007's output of 49. The Red Wolves have posted one shutout, which is half as many as they did in 2007 (2). ASU is averaging 13.5 shots per game which is much improved from 9.3 last season. The Red Wolves are holding opponents to 14.9 shots per game which is lower than the 16.6 they allowed in 2007. Two AState players (Nitt, Turesson) have scored five goals, which surpasses the leading scorer from last season (4 goals).
RECORD WATCH: After eight games so far this season freshmen forwards
Sofia Turesson and
Kara Nitti have already scored five goals with 10 matches yet to be played, Turesson and Nitti could be knocking on the door of the single-season scoring record at ASU. The record currently stands at 12 goals and is held by Shawna Sparks who set the record during the 2003 season.
THE TROY SERIES: ASU and Troy have met three times with the Trojans winning all three contests. ASU dropped a slim 0-1 decision to Troy last season in Jonesboro on Sept. 23.
SENIORS STEP UP AGAINST USA: Seniors
Bernadette Dierker and
Chelsea Hopkins scored ASU's two goals during the conference opener at USA. Dierker and Hopkins each scored a game-tying goal to bring ASU even after falling a goal behind. It marked the first goals for the season for both players. Dierker has five career goals while Hopkins has two.
YOUTH LEADS THE WAY: ASU's top four scorers are comprised of three freshman and a sophomore. Nitti and Turesson lead the way with five goals, which is more goals than any player scored a year ago. Along with Nitti, freshman Kai Gear has four goals, and sophomore Anna Kalghirou has two goals. Kalghirou is ASU's top returning scorer, netting four goals in 2007.
GOALKEEPER LEADS TEAM IN ASSISTS: Freshman goalkeeper
Megan Stoltzfus, leads the ASU squad with three assists. The three tallies came during the opening game of the season against UCA when Stoltzfus punted the ball to set up three scoring opportunities. In one game, a goalkeeper almost amassed as many assists as a single field player did on last year's team (4).
SECOND HAT-TRICK IN AS MANY GAMES: Freshman Sophie Turesson recorded three goals for the Red Wolves in their match against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. This marked the second game in a row that an ASU player had notched three goals in a single match. Kai Gear began the year for the Red Wolves by scoring three goals against Central Arkansas on Aug. 23. Her three goals were the most an ASU player had scored in a single match since 2005.
NEW ERA AT ASU: Arkansas State currently stands at 16-10 while competing as the Red Wolves. After 77 years of competition as the Indians, the Red Wolves mascot was adopted in January 2008 after many hours of work by the University's Mascot Selection Steering Committee. The job of the committee was to make a new mascot recommendation to Chancellor Dr. Robert L. Potts and the University administration. The committee recommended “Wolves” at a Jan. 31 m???????eeting, and the Red Wolves mascot evolved from that point.
HELP BUILD A WINNING TRADITION: ASU soccer fans have the opportunity to help the Red Wolves build a winning soccer tradition by joining the Red Wolves Goal Club. Level 1 ($50) members receive a quarterly newsletter and an autographed 2008 ASU Soccer poster. Level 2 members($100) receive the benefits of Level 1, plus a ticket to the ASU soccer banquet and an ASU T-shirt. For more information or to join the Red Wolves Goal Club, contact assistant coach Lisa Berg at 870-972-8193 or lberg@astate.edu.
