CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - After clinching the first penalty kick shootout victory in program history in the opening round, McNeese's soccer team (8-7-4, 5-3-2 SLC) and seventh-seeded HCU (7-10-0, 4-6-0 SLC) are scheduled to meet up in the SLC Tournament semifinals Friday afternoon.

"Chris always has his teams well rehearsed and organized and HCU typically plays an attractive style of play," remarked head coach Drew Fitzgerald. "Matches with HCU tend to be less about physicality and more about who can execute. They played an amazing match against Texas A&M-Commerce Wednesday and it will be a fun match tomorrow."

McNeese took an early lead against Southeastern in the fifth minute of play before the Lions tied it up in the second half to force overtime. After two scoreless additional periods, the outcome came down to a shootout in which the Pokes came away with the 4-3 shootout victory.

Against the Huskies on the road this season, McNeese claimed a 2-1 victory after junior Kaile Kukaua placed the game-winning goal in the net in the 56th minute of action.

The match at Dr. Jack Dugan Soccer and Track Stadium kicks off at 4:00 p.m. and is available to watch on ESPN+ with a subscription with stats available.

McNeese Notes
- In the victory over Southeastern, the Cowgirls won their first penalty kick shootout in program history. They had one prior in 2017 against Abilene Christian in which they lost 3-5.
- McNeese has tied a program high in ties in a season at four.
- The Cowgirls saw five members of the team named to the All-Southland Conference Teams.
- Kaile Kukaua - 1st Team, Kiana Kukaua - 2nd Team, Morgan Schooley - 2nd Team, Magalie Depot - 2nd Team, Jackie Kelly - 2nd Team
- The Cowgirls have the third-least goals scored on them this season in the conference at 19.
- Jackie Kelly earned her second SLC Goalkeeper of the Week honor (10/17) after posting a shutout against Northwestern State and allowing one goal to Southeastern. Her former honor came the week of 9/26 where she faced TAMU-CC and Nicholls.
- Alexi Pitt was the second player to earn SLC Defensive Player of the Week recognition (10/17) after scoring her first collegiate goal to tie Southeastern.
- Martine Ellefsen was named SLC Defensive Player of the Week (9/26) after scoring her first collegiate goal against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to force a tie.
- The Cowgirls have taken and made three penalty kicks
 - Kaile Kukaua is one of nine known returners in D1 soccer to enter the season without a collegiate goal to go on to score multiple, now with seven.
- Jackie Kelly is 11th in the nation with a save percentage of .881 which also leads the conference coming into the tournament.
- McNeese holds the 10th-best shot accuracy percentage in the nation at .564.
- The team's save percentage of .857 places them 17th in Division I soccer.
- Jackie Kelly has earned 177 career saves, sitting fifth in program history.
- Kiana Kukaua tied seventh in program history with 72 career starts. She'll become tied sixth in her next start.

HCU Notes
- HCU was just the third seven seed to upset the number two seed in the SLC Tournament.
- McNeese and HCU met earlier in the season with the Cowgirls coming out on top 2-1.
- HCU outshot A&M-Commerce 12-8 in the outing.
- The Huskies have earned 27 goals thus far, allowing 43.
- McNeese is 8-7-2 all time against the Huskies.