Setting the Scene
- The SWOSU Soccer team begins the second half of conference play this week as they host Northwestern Oklahoma State on Tuesday, then when head to Ada to face East Central on Thursday
- The Bulldogs will look to sweep the season series against both teams after defeating Northwestern Oklahoma State 6-1 and East Central 7-0 in their first meeting of the season
- Head Coach Mark Persson earned his 100th win at SWOSU in the Bulldogs victory over Southern Nazarene last week
 
The Opponents
Northwestern Oklahoma State (1-8-1, 1-5 GAC)
- The Rangers lost 3-2 in double overtime to Southern Nazarene in their last match on Saturday
- Since the last time they faced SWOSU, Northwestern has gone 1-4 with their lone win coming against East Central
- The Rangers have only scored seven goals this season and have allowed 25 goals to their opponents
- Yazmin Gomez is the leading goal scorer for Northwestern with three goals this season
 
East Central (3-9, 1-5 GAC)
- The Tigers are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to Harding on Saturday
- East Central has gone 1-3 since the last time they faced SWOSU, beating Southern Nazarene 2-0 on September 29
- The Tigers are fourth in the conference in goals against, allowing 1.89 goals a game
- Alexis Castillo and Morgan Medina are the top goal scorers for East Central, and have combined for six of the team's goals this season  
 
Around the League
- Oklahoma Baptist sits at the top of the conference standings and is undefeated in conference play
- SWOSU (5-1) sits in second followed by Harding (4-2) and Ouachita (3-3)
- East Central, Southern Nazarene and Northwestern Oklahoma State are all 1-5 and round out the bottom of the standings     
 
The Coaches
SWOSU: Mark Persson (100-66-21; 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 Oct. 4, 2018
 
NWOSU: James Ross (1-8-1; 1st season)
- Ross is in his first season at Northwestern after spending the last four season at Cloud Community College as the men's and women's head coach
- In his time at Cloud, Ross led the men's team to a national tournament appearance in 2016 and the women's team to the national tournament in 2017
- He was a two-time District Coach of the Year, Conference Coach of the Year and Region Coach of the Year during his tenure at Cloud County
 
ECU: Riley Bailey (55-99-18; 10th season)
- Bailey Enters his 10th season at the helm of the Tigers, after spending eight seasons as the assistant coach for the Tigers
- Under Bailey, the Tigers won both the Great American Conference regular season and postseason championships in 2011
- He was named the GAC Coach of the Year in 2011 following his teams' success   
 
SWOSU Notes
- The Bulldogs are coming off a 1-1 week that saw them drop their first conference game of the season to Oklahoma Baptist
- Sandra Nabweteme had a solid week for SWOSU, scoring two goals against Southern Nazarene and increasing her season goal total to 14
- Alimata Rabo remains the top goal scorer in Division II with 15 total goals after recording a goal in the first half against Southern Nazarene
- Despite giving up three goals this week, senior goalkeeper Steffi Silvera has a goals against average of 1.26
- The Bulldog defense, led by Erica Brunet, is allowing 11.2 shots and 1.27 goals a game to the opposition
- Memory Phiri continues to be a reliable piece for SWOSU, tallying seven goals and one assist for 15 points on the season
- Hannah Burks and Nicole Petrino both scored their first goals of the season against Southern Nazarene last week
- SWOSU ranks second in Division II in goals scored with 40 on the season, six behind the top team Grand Valley State
 
Looking Ahead
- SWOSU will return to the Athletic Complex on Thursday, October 18, when they host Harding at 3:00 pm