Men's Soccer Lions release schedule
SAGU seeks encore winning season
WAXAHACHIE, Texas -- Moving into the winning ranks in the ferocious Red River Athletic Conference has been a major challenge ever since the men’s soccer team from Southwestern Assemblies of God University joined the NAIA. Not until last fall did they ever post a record with more wins than losses.
Winning in the RRAC is about as easy as licking honey off a thorn tree.
New Head Coach Clementin Oancea (WAHN-cha) takes the reigns of a Lions team that registered a 10-9-5 (won-lost-tied) mark in 2011, winning the NCCAA Central Regional Tournament and advancing to the NCCAA Nationals.
For all of their accomplishments and firsts, the talented squad finished the season feeling they underachieved at times. Their encore this autumn could result in a sweeter ending.
During the first month of the season the Purple Pride will play seven of their nine matches on their home pitch, excluding a pair of practice games.
The toughest part of their schedule begins in late September, when the opposition and the climb become steep.
The Lions have a pair of non-conference clashes that should prove to be a litmus test.
On Wednesday, September 12, they travel 365 miles to the Texas panhandle where they will tangle with Wayland Baptist University (Plainview, Tx).
The Pioneers, a member of the Sooner Athletic Conference, were in the league hunt before losing their final three games to finish 7-9-3. They were 4-5-1 in conference play.
Three days later, Saturday, Sept. 15, SAGU plays host to the University of Houston at Victoria. The Jaguars, and NAIA independent, will present a great tune-up for the Lions.
They went 6-10-1 a year ago, a ledger that is very deceiving. The Jaguars had to forfeit six or seven games.
At the end of the season they tied the RRAC champion Huston-Tillotson University (18-3-1), 2-2, and lost to the second place UT-Brownsville (13-6-2), 1-0. The UTB Scorpions have been nationally ranked for four years running.
The Lions could use the mettle from early season success. Of their stiffest trials, those in the closing weeks of the season – many are on the road.
Season begins on August 24
SAGU will open the season on August 24 against a familiar foe, Mid-America Christian University. They split two meetings last year. MACU won the opener, 3-1, even though the Lions had a 15-3 advantage in shots on goal.
In the Central Regional, the Pride took the rematch, 2-0, on two Danny Martinez (Houston, Tx / Cypress Creek HS) goals.
The 5-foot-10 forward returns for what could be a season of energizing the offense.
Even with a 2012 schedule with a number of teams that were under .500 last autumn, rolling to victories will likely be like trying to ride a tricycle through molasses. Sweet but sticky.
About SAGU soccer
Southwestern Assemblies plays their home games on campus on one of, if not the best surface in the RRAC.
Starting this season, SAGU fans will be able to follow all of the home action via LiveStats. It is an on-line, digital version of the game’s play-by-play.
This free service will allow access for family and friends to keep their finger on the pulse of events as they happen.
Combined with other league teams who provide LiveStats means an even greater means of keeping track of the accounts of most every game.
Plus, starting this autumn, the SAGU Sports Network will broadcast a pair of home matches. Airing the livestream in high definition, SAGU is considered the best and only NAIA school to offer such broadcasts.
Computers, laptops, iPads, iPhones and other apps can connect to SAGUtv on the internet.
Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, SAGU Sports Information Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 469-658-2847.
Mens 2012 Soccer Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent (2011 Record) | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | 4:00 PM | Mid-America Christian Univ (2-12-2) | Oklahoma City, OK |
| 8/28 | 5:00 PM | Hill College exhibition | SAGU |
| 9/1 | 3:00 PM | Sterling College (KS) (3-14-1) | SAGU |
| 9/3 | 1:00 PM | Southwestern College (KS) (5-13) | SAGU |
| 9/8 | 5:00 PM | Louisiana College** (3-14-1) | SAGU |
| 9/12 | 7:00 PM | Wayland Baptist Univ (TX) (7-9-3) | Plainview, TX |
| 9/15 | 4:00 PM | Univ of Houston-Victoria (6-10-1) | SAGU |
| 9/17 | 5:00 PM | Dallas Christian College*** (6-9) scrimmage | Dallas, TX |
| 9/20 | TBA | Northwood Univ* (9-9) | SAGU |
| 9/22 | TBA | LSU-Shreveport* (5-11) | SAGU |
| 9/24 | 4:00 PM | Southwestern Christian (OK) (5-10-4) | SAGU |
| 9/27 | TBA | Bacone College* (6-10-1) | Muskogee, OK |
| 9/29 | TBA | Texas College* (2-14) | Tyler, TX |
| 10/4 | TBA | Wiley College* (0-10-1) | Marshall, TX |
| 10/6 | TBA | Univ of St. Thomas (9-8-1) | TBA |
| 10/11 | TBA | Our Lady of the Lake Univ* (12-6-1) | San Antonio, TX |
| 10/13 | TBA | Univ of Texas-Brownsville* (13-6-2) | Brownsville, TX |
| 10/18 | 1:00 PM | Texas Wesleyan Univ* (11-6-2) | SAGU |
| 10/20 | TBA | Univ of the Southwest* (NM) (2-13-1) | SAGU |
| 10/27 | TBA | Huston-Tillotson Univ* (18-3-1) | Austin, TX |
| TBA | TBA | RRAC Tournament | TBA |
| TBA | TBA | NCCAA Regional Tournament | TBA |
| TBA | TBA | NAIA National Tournament | TBA |
| TBA | TBA | NCCAA National Tourney | Orlando, FL |
All game times are in the Central Standard Time zone.
Southwestern plays all home games on-campus.
Total: 18 Games; 9 at home. 10 RRAC games; 4/6 home/away.
*Red River Athletic Conference game. **NCAA Division III.
***ACCA, NCCAA Div. II member. NCCAA Southwest Region Champs. #7 Seed at NCCAA Nat’l Tourney.
DNP – Did Not Play or field a team in 2011. TBA - To Be Announced.
