Baylor Soccer Set to Host SMU, ACU

[Gilmore, Katy]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – September 6, 2023

Baylor Soccer Set to Host SMU, ACU
Bears facing Mustangs for 14th time, Wildcats for 4th time

For more information contact: Katy Gilmore; 254-252-2182, katy_gilmore at baylor.edu<mailto:katy_gilmore at baylor.edu>

Media link for 2023 Baylor soccer season:
https://baylor.box.com/s/ywfgr2gsxh8uzfn90ufbe2qjfs18yerl



BAYLOR vs. SMU
Thursday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. CT
Betty Lou Mays Field
Video: Big 12 Now ESPN+



BAYLOR vs ACU
Sunday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. CT
Betty Lou Mays Field
Video: Big 12 Now ESPN+

BAYLOR BEARS

2023 Record: 3-1-1
Head Coach: Michelle Lenard (North Texas, 2003)
Career Record: 208-89-28 (16th season)
BU Record: 7-12-3 (2nd season)

SMU MUSTANGS
2023 Record: 2-2-0

Head Coach: Nicole Nelson (Oklahoma City, 1997)

Career Record: 12-6-5 (2nd season)

SMU Record: 174-70-20 (9th season)



ACU WILDCATS
2023 Record: 4-1-1

Head Coach: Stephen Salas (Hardin-Simmons, 2012)

Career Record: 4-1-1 (1st season)

ACU Record: 4-1-1 (1st season)



Story lines

  *   Baylor soccer is beginning a six-game homestand at Betty Lous Mays Field this week. They will kick things off on Thursday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m., before facing Abilene Christian on Sunday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.
  *   The 2023 season marks the 27th season of the Baylor Soccer program. During that time, BU has won four Big 12 titles, advanced to two Elite Eights and had four All-Americans to go with countless All-Big 12 and Academic All-Big 12 honorees.
  *   This season also marks the second year of the Michelle Lenard coaching era, as she was selected as the Bears sixth head coach in program history in December of 2021.
  *   With the new Big 12 teams joining the conference this season, the Bears will only play 10 of the 13 other opponents this season. The Bears will face all four of the new schools, Cincinnati, UCF, Houston and BYU. BU will not face Oklahoma, Oklahoma State or West Virginia in regular season play.
  *   The Bears are off to their best start to a season since the 2019 campaign, sporting a 3-1-1 record.
  *   With consecutive shutouts in wins over Butler and Louisiana Tech last week, the Bears have not allowed a goal in 195 minutes and on the year, sports a 0.60 goals-against average, ranking second in the Big 12.
  *   Six different players have scored this season as Baylor has used a balanced offensive attack and a stifling defensive effort to total nine goals and three shutouts.
  *   This is the Bears first season with back-to-back shutouts since the 2021 season.
  *   In the 27 seasons of Baylor women’s soccer, the Bears have posted three or more shutouts in the first 5 games on five occasions, including this season.
  *   Three of the Bears first four goals this season were scored by newcomers, freshman Skylar Zinnecker and Callie Conrad and another from transfer Tyler Isgrig. Conrad also recorded an assist in the first week of play, making her the first freshman to score points in the in each of the Bears first two games of a season since Maddie Algya and Taylor Moon did so in 2018.
  *   Goalkeepers Makinzie Short and Ashlee Zirkel have split time in goal this season.
  *   The Bears opened the season against Oregon, where they recorded 22 shots, the most in a game since Sept. 16, 2021, versus SFA (24).
  *   Tyler Isgrig leads the Bears so far this season with two goals, three assists and seven points. She is followed by Skylar Zinnecker and Ashley Merrill who both have two goals as well.
  *   Natalie Vatter, Callie Conrad and Jenna Patterson all have two assists on the season.
  *   In the past 50 games at home, Baylor has a record of 29-12-9, that’s good for a .670 winning percentage that dates back to the end of the 2017 season.
  *   BU is 5-8-0 all-time against SMU, with the last contest on Sept. 18, 2022, when the Bears lost 1-0, but the Bears have won four of the past five meetings. Four of those five meetings have also been decided by one goal.
  *   The Bears are 2-0-1 all-time against ACU, with the last meeting between these two teams occurring on Sept. 15, 2019, when they tied, 1-1.



- BaylorBears.com -

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Katy Gilmore | Associate Director of Athletic Communications
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
O: 254-710-2743 | C: 254-252-2182

[cidimage002.png at 01D79F3C.9D2300D0]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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