LAKE CHARLES – The McNeese Cowgirl soccer team (7-5-0) returns home Friday as it takes on the Nicholls Colonels (3-3-5). Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

The Cowgirls enter Friday's match coming off a 2-0 shutout victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Sunday, marking their first win in Corpus Christi since the 2023 season. Eighteen different Cowgirls saw action against the Islanders, with Alexandra Arvanitis netting her first career goal in the 36th minute. Sumayah Brown followed with her third goal of the season in the 39th minute to give the Cowgirls the 2-0 victory.

The Colonels were picked to finish tied for 10th in the Southland Conference Preseason Poll. Nicholls enters Friday's match following a 2-2 draw at Lamar on Sunday. The Colonels are led by Alyssa Wheeler, who has recorded 17 points this season on six goals and five assists.

vs. Nicholls
Date: Friday, Oct. 2
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Lake Charles, LA
Venue: Cowgirl Field

Match Notes:

• 41st meeting between the two programs
• Nicholls was tabbed to finish tied for 10th in the conference
• The Colonels are coming off a 2-2 tie at at Lamar
• McNeese enters the match coming off a 2-0 win at Corpus Christi.
• Alexandra Arvanitis scored her first collegiate goal in the 36th minute of play against the Islanders
• Sumayah Brown scored her third goal of the season in the 39th minute of play
• Morgan Fiedler was credited with two assists at Corpus Christi 
• Gabbi Barusic was also credited with an assist the Islanders
• Shannon Dempsey, Alexandra Arvanitis, and Caitlyn Trosclair each played all 90 minutes for McNeese.
• The Cowgirls outshot the Islanders 13-10, and held a 7-5 advantage in shots on goal
• Shannon Dempsey recorded five saves while earning her fourth shutout of the season
• Rhiannon Maynes-Tourond leads the team with four goals on the season with two coming from PKs
• Rhiannon Maynes-Tourond leads the team with 10 points this season.

• Rhiannon Maynes-Tourond leads the team with 37 shots on the season with 18 being on goal
• Freshman, Isabella Baltov was named the 2025-2026 Gatorade Louisiana Girls' Soccer Player of the Year back in June after setting the Caddo Parish record for most goals in a high school career with 176.

• Rhiannon Maynes-Tourond returns to the Cowgirls after leading the team in goals last season with six.
• McNeese returns two goalies from last season in #0 Shannon Dempsey and #99 Celeste Marijnissen
• Marijnissen returns with the most experience in the net for the Cowgirls after starting/appearing in 17 matches last season while seeing 1,449:18 minutes in the net.
• Coach Alexsis Cable is in her first season at the helm of the Cowgirls after serving as an Assistant Coach at North Texas the last five season.
• Cowgirls return 13 players, and welcome 16 newcomers consisting of 12 freshmen and four transfers.
• 12 of the 13 returners appeared in at least 10 matches last season
• Cowgirl soccer is composed of 5 international players from 4 different countries (Canada, Panama, Sweden, and Netherlands)
• Only two Cowgirls are from the state of Louisiana