CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - McNeese soccer takes to the road down in south Texas to challenge Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and UTRGV Friday and Sunday respectively, the first time it will meet the Vaqueros as Southland opponents.

Opponent: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Time: Friday, September 27; 7 p.m.
Location: Corpus Christi, Texas • Dr. Jack Dugan Soccer Stadium
Records: McNeese 3-7-0 (0-1-0), A&M-Corpus Christi 3-2-4 (0-0-1)
Stream: ESPN+
Series: 14th Meeting (Series tied 5-5-3)

Opponent: UTRGV
Time: Sunday, September 29; 12 p.m. 
Location: Edinburg, Texas • UTRGV Soccer Complex
Records: McNeese 3-7-0 (0-1-0), UTRGV 4-3-2 (0-0-1)
Stream: ESPN+
Series: Second Meeting (UTRGV leads 1-0-0)

McNeese Notes
• Morgan Schooley was named SLC Defensive Player of the Week  Sept. 17 for the first time this season after earning a game-winning goal against Louisiana Christian.
• McNeese ranks 33rd in the nation in shot accuracy at .525, fourth in the SLC.
• Jackie Kelly sits fourth in the nation with 68 saves on the season. She is currently ninth in the nation as well in saves per game at 6.80
• The Pokes sit atop the conference and 10th in the nation with 7.10 saves per game.
• McNeese claimed two consecutive shutout victories at home against Texas Southern and Louisiana Christian, outscoring them 3-0 and 4-0 before taking on Texas State.
• The Cowgirls have netted 11 goals this season, seeing three players earn their first collegiate goal in freshmen Bailee Ramirez and Grace Denison, alongside sophomore Ellis Hosch.
• Three Cowgirls were named to the SLC Preseason First Team in Kaile Kukaua (Midfielder), Morgan Schooley (Defender), and Jackie Kelly (Goalkeeper)
• The Pokes were selected to finish third in the SLC preseason poll behind Lamar in the top spot and Texas A&M-Commerce in second.
• McNeese returns three of its five 2023 All-Southland Team selections in Kaile Kukaua, Jackie Kelly, and Morgan Schooley. All three of them earned All-Tournament recognition last season.
• The Cowgirls look to build upon their SLC Runner-Up bid in 2023, the first time the team has made it to the championship match since 2008.
• McNeese did not have any players transfer out from the program following the 2023 SLC Runner-Up finish at the conference tournament.
• 22 players remain Cowgirls after graduating seven players last season.
• The team's newcomers are comprised of 12 freshman and two transfers with three coming before the spring semester.
• McNeese went 1-1-0 during opening weekend, falling to UL-Lafayette 2-1 in the season opener before defeating Jackson State 2-1 at Cowgirl Field.
• Morgan Schooley netted the first goal of the season on a header after being served up by Morgan Fiedler off a corner kick.
• McNeese netted three goals during opening weekend. Schooley earned the first with Kaile Kukaua and Isabelle (Izzy) Smith earning the second and third respectively.
• McNeese hosted its lone exhibition of the season against Tarleton State, falling 1-0.
 
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Overview
• The Islanders are under new leadership of first-year head coach Daniel Clitnovici.
• A&M-Corpus Christi opened SLC play against Houston Christian where the squads battled to a 0-0 tie.
• The Islanders have earned three victories against Sam Houston (2-1), Prairie View (5-1), and Texas Southern (2-0).
• Eight players have scored 12 goals for the Islanders with Morgan Westbury leading the way with three goals and two assists.
• Zoe Therior has been named the SLC Goalkeeper of the Week twice with Rachel Loetzer earning SLC Defensive Player of the Week once.
 
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Match Notes
• The meeting will mark the first time either head coach will meet.
• Both squads are 5-5-3 all-time with the Pokes on a one-match win streak.
• McNeese holds the advantage over the course of the last five meetings 2-1-2, twice in Lake Charles and thrice in Corpus Christi.
 
UTRGV Overview
• The Vaqueros have earned four victories this season after starting out 0-2-1 on the season.
• UTRGV tied with Texas A&M-Commerce in their Southland Conference debut on September 22.
• The Vaqueros have earned 14 goals on the season, all coming in non-conference play.
• Savannah Frisby leads the way with four goals and one assist for nine points on the season.
• Abbie Bailey has made two of three penalty kicks for the team.
 
UTRGV Overview Cont.
• Kamila Aguilar and Heid Sigurdardottir have each split time in the net for the Vaqueros, allowing one and six goals respectively.
• Linnea Eld was named SLC Offensive Player of the Week once with Abbie Bailey being named SLC Defensive Player of the Week once as well.
 
UTRGV Match Notes
• It marks just the second time the two programs will meet in either team's history.
• The teams met in Edinburg in 2018 where the Vaqueros came out on top in a 2-1 OT meeting.
• It marks the first time either squad will meet as members of the Southland.
 
The Kelly File
• Jackie Kelly is close to breaking or tying numerous program records, sitting amongst the Top 10 all-time in six categories entering the season.
• Records to keep an eye on include:
- She has earned 48 career goalie starts and overtook Cassandra Read for the program record who held the record for 13 seasons at 46.
- Second most career goalie wins with 22, just two shy of tying the program record.
- Tied third with most career shutouts at 11, seven shy of claiming the record.
- She sits second in career saves with 257. The record is 508 saves by Tony Deason.
- Kelly is second in career goalie games played with 56, six short of the program record at 62.
- Kelly has played 4,430 minutes in the net, the third most in program history.