LAKE CHARLES – After opening the season 3-0 for the first time in a decade, McNeese Cowgirl soccer returns to Cowgirl Field Sunday afternoon looking to keep its perfect start rolling when it hosts North Texas (1-1-0). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m., with the match streaming live on ESPN+.

The Cowgirls enter Sunday's matchup coming off a 2-0 victory over Jackson State on Thursday night, marking the program's first 3-0 start since 2016. McNeese has outscored its opponents 4-0 through the first three matches of the season while recording two consecutive shutouts.

McNeese has also showcased its depth early in the season, with 24 Cowgirls seeing action against Jackson State. Sophia Hull made her first collegiate start against the Tigers, adding to a young squad that has seen contributions from throughout the roster.

Louisiana Gatorade Girls' Soccer Player of the Year Isabella Baltov opened the scoring against Jackson State in the eighth minute, recording her first collegiate goal off an assist from Morgan Fiedler. Elizabeth Edomwonyi added the insurance goal in the 67th minute after receiving a feed from Emma Korhonen to secure the 2-0 victory.

While McNeese enters Sunday's match unbeaten, North Texas enters with a 1-1-0 record after earning a 1-0 victory over UL-Monroe on Thursday night.

The Mean Green were picked to finish ninth in the American Conference preseason poll and enter the season with three players named to the American Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Watch List in Mia Bernard, Claire Niedermeier and Sarah Margaret Seabrook.

Sunday's match also brings a familiar face back to Cowgirl Field as McNeese head coach Alexsis Cable faces her former program. Cable spent the previous five seasons as an assistant coach at North Texas before taking over the Cowgirls' program in 2026.

The matchup will mark Cable's first meeting with North Texas since joining McNeese, adding another storyline to an already highly anticipated matchup as the Cowgirls look to remain perfect on the season.
 
vs. North Texas
Date: Sunday, Aug. 23
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Lake Charles, La.
Venue: Cowgirl Field
Live Stats
Watch Live

Match Notes:

• With a win, Cowgirls would move to 4-0 for the first time in program history
• Alex Arvanitis was named Southland Conference Defensive Player of the week
• Fifth overall meeting between the two programs
• North Texas was chosen to finish #9 in the American Conference
• McNeese is coming off a 2-0 victory over Jackson State, extending their win streak to six in a row over the Tigers
• Cowgirls are off to their first 3-0 start in over a decade
• Isabella Baltov netted her first collegiate goal in the 8th minute of play
• Elizabeth Edomwonyi netted her second collegiate goal in the 67th minute of play
• Morgan Fiedler and Emma Korhonen were both credited with assists against Jackson State
• 24 Cowgirls saw action on the pitch against Jackson State
• Sophia Hull made her first collegiate start against JSU
• Brooklyn Gonerway and Nevaeh Nguyen made their Cowgirl debuts against the Tigers
• Shannon Dempsey had a career and season high seven saves on the night capturing her first collegiate shutout
• The Cowgirls outshot the Tigers 24-10 during the game

• Rebecca Romero also saw all 90 minutes on the pitch against the Golden Eagles
• 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