LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State women's soccer team opens Western Athletic Conference play at the Soccer Athletic complex with matches against GCU on Friday, Oct. 4, at 4 p.m. (MT) and California Baptist on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 1 p.m.
 
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Follow Along
Both of this weekend's conference matches will have live stats via StatBroadcast.
 
Where to Watch
Fans who can't make it to the Soccer Complex this weekend can stream both games live on the WAC Digital Network.
 
Junior Aggie Day
Friday's home WAC match with GCU is also the first Junior Aggie event of the year! Junior Aggie's receive a prize pack as well as exclusive, behind the scenes looks at NM State Athletics. If your child is interested in becoming a Junior Aggie, they can be signed up here.
 
A Look at the Lopes
GCU enters Friday matchup with a 1-8-1 record and holds a 5-2 edge over the Aggies in seven meetings. Last season, NM State dropped a 1-0 decision to the Lopes in Phoenix.
 
Grand Canyon has struggled on the offensive side of the ball as it has scored just five goals on the season. Freshman Emma Anderson leads GCU in both goals (2) and points (4).
 
Freshman Lauren Garthwaite has started all 10 matches between the pipes for the Lopes. She has posted a 2.12 goals-against average to go with 47 saves and a .681 save percentage.
 
Scouting the Lancers
California Baptist currently sits at 7-2-1 in just its second season at the Division I level. The 2018 season saw the first ever meeting between the Lancers and NM State with CBU winning 3-0 in Riverside.
 
The Lancers boast a high-powered offensive attack that ranks second in the WAC in both goals (18) and points (46). Leading the charge for CBU is Long Beach State transfer Rola Badawiya who's five goals and 12 points pace the squad. Her two assists are second on the team to Karley Weeks' three.
 
California Baptist is also solid on the defensive side of the ball, ranking second in the WAC in goals allowed (9) and goals-against average (0.87). Freshman Abigail Tyhurst started the first nine matches in net, posting a solid 0.98 goals-against average. Romy Salvador, who started eight matches a season ago, got the start and the shutout against Pacific on Sept. 28 as she returned from an injury.
 
Last Time Out
The Aggies wrapped up their non-conference schedule with a trip to South Dakota to take on South Dakota and South Dakota State. Against the Coyotes, Hannah Leitner notched the first goal of her career while Alexa Barrera added her second of the season into a 5-2 loss. Then, against South Dakota State, the Aggies were shutout 4-0.
 
Up Next
New Mexico State continues WAC play with a road trip to Utah Valley on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 5 p.m. (MT) and Seattle U on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m. Both matches are available on live stream thanks to the WAC Digital Network.
 
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