Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Women's Soccer to Begin Sun Belt Conference Play
9/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 22, 2009
The Florida Atlantic University women's soccer team begins Sun Belt Conference (SBC) play on Friday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. (CT) at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky. FAU will finish the weekend's slate at Middle Tennessee State University on Sunday, Sept. 27 at noon (CT).
FAU stands 2-5-2 on the season, and will be tested as both the Hilltoppers and Blue Raiders have a combined 11-3-2 record and the two best overall-winning percentages in the league.
The Owls are coming off a weekend playing two of the elite teams in the Southeastern Conference. On September 18, FAU battled the undefeated University of Arkansas to a 1-1 tie with Owls' senior forward Ashley Mannarino scoring the game-tying goal with four minutes left in regulation. FAU fell to the regionally-ranked University of Mississippi 4-0 on September 20.
Mannarino anchors the offensive attack scoring four goals on the season. The Boca Raton native is tied for third in the SBC in goals scored. Freshman goalkeeper Ashley Lantes has recorded two shutouts this season and matched her career-high with 12 saves in the tied-game with Arkansas.
WKU advanced to the 2008 conference tournament title game before falling 2-0 to top-seed University of Denver en route to a school-record 15 wins. The Hilltoppers stand 5-2-1 in 2009 and are coming off a 4-1 win on September 20 over the Marshall University. WKU scored all four goals in the second half. Leading the team is Kellie Walker scoring two goals and recording four assists this season. Goalkeeper Libby Stout has recorded three shutouts in five starts. WKU was picked to finish in third place in the league's preseason poll and received two first place votes.
Middle Tennessee State ended 2008 in an overtime 2-1 loss to FAU in the opening round of the SBC championships. The Blue Raiders have the best overall record in the league recording six wins in eight matches. MTSU leads the conference in scoring with an average of more than three-and-a-half goals per match this season. Shan Jones and Whitney Jorgensen provide a lethal 1-2 combination as the top two goal scorers in the SBC with seven and five goals scored, respectively. The Blue Raiders were selected to finish in fourth place in the preseason poll.
