Austin Peay Lady Govs Soccer heads north to face Eastern Illinois and SIU Edwardsville

APSU Sports: Austin Peay Soccer

Clarksville, TN – After back-to-back shutouts in Ohio Valley Conference play, Austin Peay State University women’s soccer team hopes to continue its momentum with two conference road match-ups, this weekend. The Lady Govs face Eastern Illinois at 1:00pm, Friday, before traveling to Edwardsville for a 1:00pm, Sunday, match-up against SIU Edwardsville.

Austin Peay (6-7-0, 2-2-0 OVC) took apart Belmont with a resounding 3-0 victory, Sunday, to even its OVC record. The Lady Govs defense has been stellar with back-to-back shutouts of Belmont and Southeast Missouri, and plan to continue that streak through the weekend. Eastern Illinois (1.0 goals/game, seventh in the OVC) and SIU Edwardsville (0.83 goals/game, 10th) rank in the bottom half of the conference in scoring.

Although shut out in five of seven losses this season, the Lady Govs have scored in three games straight and seem to have left their offensive woes behind. Junior Tatiana Ariza (six goals, four assists) is tied for second in the conference in scoring, despite missing the Lady Govs first two games due to her commitments with the Colombian National Team at the 2012 London Olympics. She leads the conference in points per game with 1.45 ppg.

Eastern Illinois (4-10, 2-3-0 OVC) lost nine of their first 11 matches but have won two of the last three to put the season back on track. Between victories against Evansville (September 7th) and Tennessee Tech (September 30th), the Panthers were shutout in five consecutive matches.

SIU Edwardsville (6-5-1, 3-2-0 OVC) has been the league’s top defensive unit, with just nine goals allowed in 12 matches. But if they aren’t shutting out opponents, they aren’t winning; five of the Cougars six victories have come via shutout and only twice have both SIU Edwardsville and its opponent scored in the same game.

“It would be a great momentum builder for us,” said head coach Kelley Guth. “We could jump in the standings significantly. It’s a huge weekend, just like every weekend from here on out in the conference.”

Last Time Against This Weekend’s Opponents

The Lady Govs picked up two shutout victories against the OVC’s Illinois contingent last season, defeating SIU Edwardsville 2-0, October 21st, thanks to goals from both Tatiana and Natalia Ariza and defeating EIU 1-0 in double overtime. Haylee Shoaff made a combined 10 saves while not allowing a goal in Austin Peay’s last two wins of 2011.

Keep An Eye On

Junior Natalia Ariza needs one point to break her tie with Kaylee Yago (2002-05) and Erica Dengler (2003-06) for fourth all-time in scoring; all three are currently deadlocked at 30. A goal for Ariza would move her past Yago and Dengler in points and tie her with the duo for fourth all-time in goals scored with 12.

Senior Emily Perkins is tied with Natalia Ariza with 11 career goals, tied for sixth all-time.

One goal would tie Tatiana Ariza for fourth-best in a single season with seven, while one assist would give her 17 and tie her with Ashley Beck’s 2006 season for fourth-best in Austin Peay history.

Three saves would tie Haylee Shoaff’s 2011 career-high of 65. Her 1.32 goals against average would be fourth-best in a single season in APSU history if the current pace held.

The Lady Govs host Family and Community Weekend October 19th-21st. Senior Night is scheduled for 7:00pm, Friday, October 19th, against Tennessee Tech, while Parents Day is slated for 2:00pm, October 21st against Jacksonville State.

Lady Govs Online

Be sure to follow all the Lady Govs action at LetsGoPeay.com, and check them out on Twitter (@AustinPeaySocr) and by liking the Austin Peay Women’s Soccer Official Page on Facebook.