Women's soccer is earning respect

SAGU has post-season possibilities

Lady Lions play Wesleyan at home today

WAXAHACHIE, Texas  --  Much like their male comrades from Southwestern Assemblies of God University, the Lady Lions soccer team enters their final three games today when they entertain Texas Wesleyan University (7-5-2, 4-2-1 in RRAC) at 3:00pm.

A season that has seen the team enjoy a clear step-up in productivity and success, could witness their first-ever berth in the Red River Athletic Conference tournament.

The top six teams are invited to the tourney, a post-season destination the young program has yet to notch in their belt.

SAGU is currently tied in sixth at 5-10 overall and 3-4 against the RRAC. The University of the Southwest (3-7-1, 3-4 in RRAC) visits Waxahachie on Saturday for what will likely be a showdown for the position.

That match is at noon (CST) and will be broadcast on SAGU TV in HD. Lone senior Jessica Powell-Roman (Terrell, Tx / Terrell HS) will be honored on Saturday.

SAGU closes the season the following Saturday, October 27, with a trip to the state capital to face Huston-Tillotson University (2-12, 2-5) at 3:00pm.

According to head coach Mandy Fortner, “The women’s team needs to go 2-0-1 at least, in order to secure a spot in the RRAC Conference and NCCAA Regional tournaments.”

The RRAC tourney will be held at either Northwood University or at Texas Wesleyan.

The National Christian College Athletic Association’s Central Regional will be hosted by Colorado Christian University in Denver.

“The ladies have been training hard,” Fortner commented on Tuesday. “I believe we are ready to take on TWU on Thursday. We are going to give them a fight the way we did OLLU.”

“We have pushed ourselves to the limit in practice and are pumped up about the position they we are in right now. This is the first time in the history of the program that we have a chance to ‘earn’ post-season play.”

Last fall the Lady Lions competed in the NCCAA Regional, though they received an automatic berth because they were the host.

The program began in 2006 and twice won as many as four games. Their five-win season this year is their high-water mark to date.

“After playing Northwood and LSU-Shreveport so well earlier in the conference, the girls have confidence that they can compete in the RRAC tournament. I look forward to watching them put on a show this weekend!”

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.