Setting the Scene
- SWOSU Soccer will take to the road this week for two conference matches in Arkansas, as they face Ouachita on Thursday and Harding on Saturday
- The Bulldogs will face Ouachita for the 22nd time since 1999 in a series, which SWOSU leads winning 13 times including a sweep of last year's season series
- This will be the 24th all-time meeting between SWOSU and Harding in a series where Harding holds one more win then SWOSU with 11
 
The Opponents
Ouachita (3-4, 1-1 GAC)
- The Tigers last match was against Oklahoma Baptist on Saturday, where they lost 2-1 in Shawnee
- Ouachita is averaging 1.43 goals a game and is holding opponents to 1.29 points a game
- Bryson Thomas and Jamie Fowler lead the Tigers in goal scoring with two
 
Harding (1-5, 1-1 GAC)
- The Bison's last match up was Saturday where they defeated Southern Nazarene 3-2 in Bethany
- Harding is out shooting opponents this season, as they have totaled 115 shots while the opposition has totaled 89
- Bethany Sunderland is the Bison's leading goal scorer this season with five goals
 
Around the League
- SWOSU sits atop the conference after two dominating wins last week against Northwestern Oklahoma State and East Central
- Oklahoma Baptist went 2-0 in the first week of conference play last week defeating Harding and Ouachita
- Ouachita, Northwestern Oklahoma State and Harding were the only other teams to get a win last week    
 
The Coaches
SWOSU: Mark Persson (93-63-20; 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
-  Persson is a two time GAC Coach of the Year
 
OUA: Kevin Wright (51-53-6; 6th season)
- Wright enters his sixth season at the helm of the Tigers
- He was previously the head men's coach at Howard Payne
- Wright was also previously the head men's soccer coach at Ouachita from 2012-2014
 
HU: Greg Harris (133-149-25; 18th season)
- Harris is in his 18^th season leading the Bison
- He has been named Coach of the Year six times during his tenure
- Coach Harris has coached 24 all-region selections and numerous all-conference selections during his time at Harding
 
SWOSU Notes
- The Bulldogs are currently 2-0 in Great American Conference play after defeating both Northwestern Oklahoma State and East Central last week
- Alimata Rabo picked up her second Great American Conference Offensive Player of the Week award of the season this week after totaling six goals, one assist and 13 points in the Bulldogs two games last week
- Sandra Nabweteme also had an impressive week last week recording five goals, one assist and 11 points
- Rabo and Nabweteme currently lead the Bulldogs as well as all of Division II in goals scored with 10 goals so far this season
- Rabo also leads both SWOSU and Division II in total points with 25 through the first seven games of the season
- SWOSU ranks in the top 10 in Division II in total goals with 26 just five behind the number one team Goldey-Beacom
- The Bulldogs are averaging 20.9 shots a game while holding their opponents to just 11.7
 
Looking Ahead
- SWOSU will return home to the SWOSU Athletic Complex when they take on Southern Nazarene on October 4 at 3 pm