Setting the Scene
- The SWOSU Soccer team will finish the 2018 regular season with a pair of road contests against Oklahoma Baptist on Thursday and Southern Nazarene on Saturday
- The Bulldogs have won their last four matches by outscoring their opponents 13-3 in those contests
- SWOSU will face the top team in the Great American Conference on Thursday in Oklahoma Baptist
- The Dawgs hold the second spot in the conference and have clinched a spot in the GAC tournament
- Alimata Rabo was named the GAC Offensive Player of the Week for the fourth time this season after another impressive performance last week
 
The Opponents
Oklahoma Baptist (12-4, 10-0 GAC)
- The Bison are coming off a 4-0 shutout of East Central on Saturday
- OBU is unbeaten this season in conference play and they have shut out their opponents in six consecutive matches
- Ruth King leads Oklahoma Baptist in goals scored with 12 goals on the season
 
Southern Nazarene (3-13, 2-18 GAC)
- In their last match, the Crimson Storm claimed a 3-1 victory over East Central on Thursday
- Ashlynn Pritchett has been solid in the net for SNU amassing 111 saves this season
- Southern Nazarene as a team has recorded a .484 shot-on-goal percentage placing 76 of their 157 shots in the area of the opposing goalkeeper
 
Around the League
- Oklahoma Baptist holds the top spot in the standings by one game over SWOSU heading into the final week of the season
- Ouachita Baptist and Harding have both clinched spots in the GAC tournament
- Southern Nazarene, Northwestern Oklahoma State and East Central have been eliminated from postseason contention
 
The Coaches
SWOSU: Mark Persson (104-66-21; 10th season)
- Since taking over the program in 2009, Persson has become the winningest coach in SWOSU Soccer history
- Persson's teams have won three regular season Great American Conference Championships and three GAC Tournament championships
- He has coached three All-Americans, 24 all-region players and numerous all-conference players in his time in Weatherford
- Coach Persson won his 100th game as the Bulldogs head coach against his alma mater Southern Nazarene on October 4, 2018
 
OBU: Mike White (109-68-12; 9th season)
- White is in his ninth season at the helm of the Bison after spending two years as the assistant coach
- He was named the GAC Coach of the Year last season, after his team claimed their first regular season GAC Championship
- Coach White has produced four All-Americans, nine all-region players and numerous all-conference selections during his tenure with the program
 
SNU: Julie Duncan (80-108-5; 9th season)
- Duncan is in her ninth season leading the Crimson Storm, after a previous stint as an assistant coach
- She was named the GAC Coach of the Year in 2014, after leading her team to a regular season Great American Conference Championship
- Duncan also played at Southern Nazarene, as she helped lead the Crimson Storm to their first ever NAIA National Tournament appearance
 
SWOSU Notes
- The Bulldogs are coming off a 2-0 weekend with victories over Harding and Ouachita, completing season series sweeps of both teams
- Alimata Rabo claimed her fourth GAC Offensive Player of the Week award, recording three goals and two assists in the Bulldogs victories over the weekend
- Rabo's team-leading 19 goals this season have placed her amongst the top of the Division II, as she is currently second on the list
- Steffi Silvera has remained a reliable force in net for the Bulldogs, boasting a .793 save percentage with 65 saves on the season, including a huge rejection of a penalty kick opportunity in Saturday's match against Ouachita
- Sandra Nabweteme has been an offensive leader for SWOSU this season, as she not only is second on the team in goals scored but also leads the Bulldogs in assists with 11 on the year
- Erica Brunet and Kylee Bertrand have provided a key veteran presence for a Dawgs defense that has allowed just 11.1 shots a game to the opposition
- Memory Phiri has played a key role in the SWOSU offensive attack this season scoring 11 goals and posting a shot-on-goal percentage of .618
 
Looking Ahead
- The Bulldogs will begin preparing for the postseason as they set their sights on the Great American Conference Tournament, which will be held on November 1-3 at the site of the regular season conference champion