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Setting the Scene:
- SWOSU Soccer (4-2-1, 1-0-1 GAC) hosts a pair of conference matches this week at home, taking on Harding on Thursday afternoon and Ouachita on Saturday morning
- The Lady Bulldogs are looking to beat Harding for the first time in nine tries dating back to 2013, holding an 0-5-3 record against the Lady Bisons in that span
- The Dawgs won both contests against Ouachita in 2016 by scores of 2-1 and 7-2, both in the regular season
- Match times are scheduled for 3:00 pm on Thursday against HU and 11:00 am on Saturday against OUA  
 
The Coaches: 
SWOSU: Mark Persson (84-62-16; 9th season)
- Since taking over the program in 2009, Persson has amassed a 84-62-16 record, becoming the all-time winningest coach in program history
- Persson has now led the Bulldogs to three regular season Great American Conference crowns and two GAC Tournament championships in the last five years
- A two time All-Conference Coach of the Year, Persson holds a 46-27-7 record in GAC play
- He has coached three All-Americans, 16 All-Region players, and numerous All-Conference players during his time in Weatherford
 
Harding: Dr. Greg Harris (128-146-24; 17th season)
- Coach Harris took over Harding Soccer in 2001, where he coached the women and men's team up until 2010 when he was chosen to continue only coaching the Lady Bisons
- A four-time Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year honoree, Harris garnered his first Great American Conference Coach of the Year honor in 2013 and again in 2015
- Each summer, Harris works several prestigious soccer camps, including Duke, Texas A&M, UT Chattanooga, and Vanderbilt
 
OBU: Kevin Wright (49-45-6; 6th season)
- This is Coach Wright's sixth season at helm of Ouachita Baptist Women's Soccer after taking over in 2012
- Wright has coached three GAC Offensive Players of the Year, nine First Team and nine Second Team All-GAC selections
- He is 3-9-1 against the Bulldogs since 2012

The Opponents
Harding (2-4-2,1-1 GAC)
- After starting 0-3 this season, HU battled back to not lose a contest in four-straight tries before falling to Oklahoma Baptist in their latest match
- Bethany Sutherland ranks second behind SWOSU's Alimata Rabo in goal scoring in the conference with five so far this year
- They are tied with OBU for the most corner kicks in the GAC with 47 through eight games
 
Ouachita Baptist (1-5-1, 1-1 GAC)
- Finished 8-3-1 in conference play in 2016, claiming the two seed in the GAC Tournament
- Enter this week with only one victory, a conference match against SNU
- Tigers have scored seven goals in seven games, led by Bryson Thomas as the only player with multiple goals

Bulldog Facts
- Kodi Holloway, Hannah Burks, and Kendall Harris all scored their first goals of the season against Northwestern last Tuesday in a 5-2 victory
- Alimata Rabo added two more to her season total against Northwestern, now with eight on the year to lead the conference
- On Thursday, SWOSU tied ECU 0-0 through two overtimes despite outshooting the Tigers 32-12 and 11-4 on goal
- The Bulldog offense is averaging 2.57 goals per game, leading the conference in that category
- The Dawgs are a perfect 3-0 at home this season including 1-0 in GAC matches

Looking Ahead
- Next week will feature a pair of road conference games against in-state foes
- SWOSU takes on Oklahoma Baptist in Shawnee on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 5:30 pm and Southern Nazarene in Bethany on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 6 pm