EDINBURG, Texas – The McNeese Cowgirl soccer team (7-5-1, 2-1-1) hits the road Thursday as it travels to take on the UTRGV Vaqueros (4-6-1, 0-2-1). Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

The Cowgirls enter Thursday's match coming off a 0-0 tie with Nicholls on Friday, marking the first tie of the season for McNeese and its first scoreless tie since Sept. 5, 2021, at Prairie View A&M. Fourteen different Cowgirls saw action against the Colonels, with six playing all 90 minutes. Freshman Isabella Baltov led the Cowgirls offensively with five shots, all of which were on goal.

The Vaqueros were picked to finish tied for 10th in the Southland Conference Preseason Poll. UTRGV enters Thursday's match following a 4-1 home loss to Houston Christian on Sunday. Isabella Burtini leads the Vaqueros offensively with 13 points this season, recording five goals and three assists.

at. UTRGV
Date: Thursday, Oct. 8
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Edinburg, Texas
Venue: UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex

Match Notes:

• 4th meeting between the two programs
• UTRGV was tabbed to finish tied for 10th in the conference
• The Vaqueros are coming off a 4-1 loss at home against HCU
• McNeese enters the match coming off a 0-0 tie at home against Nicholls 
• 14 different Cowgirls saw action on the pitch against the Colonels
• Shannon Dempsey, Alexandra Arvanitis, Ella Grace Davis, Ryleigh Tomlinson, Rebecca Romero and Caitlyn Trosclair each played all 90 minutes for McNeese.
• McNeese outshot Nicholls 22-7 and held a 9-5 advantage in shots on goal
• Isabella Baltov led the Cowgirls offensively against the Colonels with five shots, all on goal.
• Shannon Dempsey recorded five saves for the second consecutive match in the net for the Cowgirls
• 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 39 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