---

(3) SWOSU (13-5-1, 8-3-1 GAC) at (1) Harding (14-3-2, 10-1-1 GAC) Searcy, Ark. (Stevens Soccer Field) Saturday, Nov. 7, 11 a.m. Watch Live | Live Stats SWOSU Game Notes

Setting the Scene
- The Bulldogs carry a five-match winning streak in the Great American Conference Tournament into a match up with No. 1-seeded Harding
- A win would give SWOSU their third GAC Tournament crown in four years and a berth in the NCAA Division II National Tournament
 
Last Time Out
- Late drama gave the Dawgs a 2-1 win over No. 2-seeded Ouachita in the GAC Tournament semifinals
- Cori Kelly put SWOSU up in the  24th minute with an effort from 35 yards out that ricocheted off the cross bar before deflecting off the back of OBU goalkeeper Lauren Llanes' head and in
- Haley Hatcher, the reigning GAC Offensive Player of the Year, levelled the score at 1-1 in the 67th minute
- Samantha Nunez put the match away for good, slotting a shot past Llanes after making a run that beat three separate defenders in the 77th minute to make the score 2-1
- Courtney Flores recorded eight saves in the match
 
The Coaches
SWOSU: Mark Persson (68-54-12; 7th season)
- This is Mark Persson's seventh season in charge of the SWOSU soccer program
- Since taking over the program in 2009, Persson has amassed a 68-54-12 record, becoming the all-time winningest coach in program history. He also led the Bulldogs to back-to-back Great American Conference Championships in 2012 and 2013
- A two time All-Conference Coach of the Year, Persson holds a 30-12-5 record against GAC opposition
- He has coached one All-American, 10 All-Region players, and numerous all-conference players during his time in Weatherford
 
Harding: Dr. Greg Harris (100-131-18; 15th season)
- Dr. Greg Harris, in his 15th season at Harding, is the longest-tenured coach in the GAC
- Dr. Harris is a three-time Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year, and earned the GAC Coach of the
Year award twice, most recently in 2015
- He has directed the Lady Bisons to the postseason eight times, including an NCAA Division II National
Tournament appearance in 2004
- Dr. Harris is 3-8-1 against Persson
 
The Opponent
(1) Harding (14-3-2, 10-1-1 GAC)
- Harding used two goals by Bethany Sutherland to seal a win against No. 4-seed Southern Nazarene in the GAC semifinals on Thursday
- With 10 All-GAC selections, Harding tied for the league-lead in all-conference picks this year with SWOSU
- The Lady Bisons boast one of the most prolific offenses in Division II, averaging 2.74 goals per game to rank in the top 18 in the nation. Sutherland has done most of the damage for Harding, scoring 22 goals, accounting for 42.3 percent of Harding's goals
- Audrey Adkison pulls the strings from midfield for Harding, spraying the ball around for a team-high eight assists. Her average of .25 assists per games puts her among the top 25 in the nation
- Kaitlyn Miller is tied for the league lead in shutouts this season with 10. She holds a .78 goals-against average and has recorded 70 saves for a .824 save precentage
- Opponents are shooting just .084 against Harding's defense, and are averaging .79 goals per game
 
The Series
- The Lady Bisons hold a 1-0-1 lead on the Bulldogs this season, but SWOSU boasts a 9-7-2 record over the Bisons in a series that dates back to 1998
- The two sides drew 2-2 in Weatherford through 110 minutes of action. Eva Rule and Kelly put the Dawgs up in the first half before Sutherland bagged a brace in the second half to level the scoring. Two overtime periods failed to separate the teams
- SWOSU suffered a 5-1 reversal against Harding when the teams last met on Stevens Soccer Field, with Nunez giving the Bulldogs an early lead before succumbing to five straight goals by the Lady Bisons
 
SWOSU at the GAC Tournament
- The Bulldogs are 5-1 all-time at the GAC Tournament, with their only loss coming against the Ouachita. SWOSU has won five straight matches at the postseason tournament
- SWOSU has won two of the last three GAC Tournament championships, and has only failed to reach the GAC Final once
- Twelve players have been named to the All-Tournament team, and two Bulldogs have been named the tournament MVP
 
Final Standings
- Harding claimed the regular season title with 31 points, narrowly edging out second-place finisher Ouachita at 30 points
- SWOSU finished with 30 points, an improvement of 22 points compared to last season. SNU claimed the final tournament berth with 15 points
- East Central placed fifth, Oklahoma Baptist sixth and Northwestern Oklahoma State seventh
 
Ten Bulldogs Named to All-GAC Soccer Team
- After a year that saw the team increase their win total by 11 games, the Bulldogs placed 10 on the all-conference teams. The total tied for the best mark in the league
- Flores earned the second GAC Goalkeeper of the Year honor of her career en route to First Team All-GAC Honors
- Seniors Nunez and Kelly, as well as freshman Kylee Bertrand, were also named to the first team
- Senior Payton Warren, sophomore Olivia Butler, and freshmen Sarah Wilson and Dajhane Tuner earned second team honors. Charlotte Eastman and Erica Brunet were honorable mention selections
- Eva Rule earned the Crafton Tull Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Award
- The Bulldogs lead all GAC teams with 37 all-GAC selections.
 
Bulldog Offensive Notes
- Nunez scored her team-best 10th goal of the season against OBU, tying her own single season record of 10 goals. She has scored a goal in four of her last six matches
- With the goal, Nunez becomes the all-time leader in point at 61 (26g, 9a)
- Kelly tied her career-high of six goals with her goal against the Tigers
- The Bulldogs are putting 48.9 percent of their shots on goal, and have averaged 1.79 goals per game
- Brunet missed the first penalty of the season on Thursday, she was previously 3-3 from the penalty spot
 
Bulldog Defensive Notes
- SWOSU has given up 10 goals in their last five matches, recording one shutout in that time. The Bulldogs had given up just nine goals in the 13 games prior
- Flores holds a 1.03 GAA with 63 saves and a .768 save percentage. Her goals-against average is the fifth-best in a single season for a Bulldog
- The defense has made it difficult for opposing offenses to get good looks at goal. Offensives are putting just 39.6 percent of their shots on frame
- Bertrand was honored earlier this week as the GAC Defensive Player of the Week, her second such award this season
- The Bulldogs have shutout 11 opponents this season
 
Looking Ahead
- With a win over Harding, the Bulldogs will advance to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the second time in four years