Lady Lions at Bacone today

Preview of Weekend Games

SAGU at Texas College on Saturday

MUSKOGEE, Oklahoma  --  The college soccer season kicks into full gear this weekend for the men’s and women’s teams from Southwestern Assemblies of God University.

Both squads are on the road for a pair of games on today and Saturday.

The 11-game Red River Athletic Conference season has begun with the Lions and Lady Lions have gotten out of the gate slowly at 0-2. Only the top six teams qualify for the post-season tournament.

This afternoon the teams will take on Bacone College. Located in Muskogee, Oklahoma (270 miles from Waxahachie), southeast of Tulsa, the men will play at 1:00pm, followed by the women at approximately 3:00pm (CST).

After returning to SAGU, the Purple Pride will travel east (105 mi.) to Tyler, Texas on Saturday, September 29, where they will face Texas College.

The women commence play at 1pm, the men at 3pm.

A brief preview of the two women's games:

SAGU (2-8 overall, 0-2 in RRAC) at Bacone College (1-8, 0-2)

Southwestern has been on the rise this season, especially the past two or three weeks.

American writer William Pearson's famous quote describes this team's reaction to Head Coach Mandy Fortner's leadership: "Responding like soldiers to a trumpet's call to arms."

They are playing better than their record indicates, having experienced five one-goal defeats. Team Lioness has scored 17 goals and surrendered 21.

Offensively they are led by Amy Lambdin (Stockton, Cal / Elliot Christian) and Noelle Pugliese (Lee’s Summit, Mo / Lee’s Summit North HS), each with nine points. Lambdin has scored all four of her goals in the past week.

Amber Belisle (Roseville, Cal / Whitney HS) and Pugliese have three goals apiece.

The squad has been without Gloria Lozano (El Paso, Tx / Socorro HS), who has been nursing an injury. When she returns, she teams-up with senior co-captain Jessica Powell-Roman (Terrell, Tx / Terrell HS) and a few other defenders to give SAGU a sound backline.

Sophomore netminder Haley Shingleton (Pasadena, Tx / Deer Park HS) picked up her second shutout last Saturday in a 4-0 win over Southwestern Christian University. She has a 2-4 record this season and is currently allowing just 1.64 goals per game.

The Lady Warriors have been outscored 22-4 so far this season. However, Shayla Beane, a 5’5 forward, has been a strong player for their offense. She has three goals and leads the team in shots (26) and shots on goal (14). No one else has fired more than eight.

BC has played three goalies at least two games apiece in the net.

Bacone (bah-KONE) was 7-9-2 last fall and 9-9 in 2010, has never lost to the young Lady Lions, amassing a 5-0 series lead. In fact, they have scored all ten goals in the games between the two schools. Last year they defeated SAGU by a 3-0 count in Waxahachie.

SAGU at Texas College (1-7, 0-2)

The Lady Steers record is a bit misleading. Among a handful of tough setbacks is their most recent, a 3-2 overtime loss at Texas Wesleyan University (5-3-1, 2-0).

They figure to defeat Huston-Tillotson University (0-9, 0-2) today in Tyler.

TC leads the series against Southwestern, 4-0, winning the past three meetings by one goal. In scoring, they own a 10-3 lead in goals. Last autumn they came to Waxahachie and escaped with a 1-0 triumph.

A complete report of all the action will be posted on the SAGU website.

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.