THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University women's soccer team returns to Southland Conference play this weekend hosting the Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions and Oral Roberts Golden Eagles this Friday and Sunday afternoon at the Nicholls Soccer Complex.

With it being homecoming week on campus, the soccer matches bookend the weekend activities with the Nicholls football game on Saturday night.

A week will have passed since the Colonels last took the field, that coming in a 1-0 loss to the McNeese State Cowgirls to open a three-match home stand in Thibodaux last Friday. Nicholls gave up the only goal of the match in the first six minutes of play, dropping to 5-8 on the year and 0-3 in Southland play.

Although the Colonels have yet to score a goal in conference play, the team has lost two of their last three by just one goal. Over the course of the season, the Colonels have lost five matches total by one goal, with just three losses by more than one goal.

Nicholls has given up just four goals in league play so far, tied for fifth with McNeese State. Goalie Amanda Boylson has started two of the three conference matches and is fifth individually with a .857 save percentage, and sixth in goals allowed with two so far for an average of one per game.

Southeastern Louisiana (7-6-1, 1-2-1 SLC) enters the match on Friday coming off of a 1-0 loss to Lamar last Sunday. Of their four matches, the Lady Lions have been shut out in three of them, scoring all three of their goals so far in conference in a 3-2 win over McNeese State. The Lady Lions have scored 31 goals on the year led by Maiya Cooper's nine. Lacey Bockhaus has started every match for Southeastern La this season, with five shutouts and a .788 save percentage.

History is not on Nicholls' side when playing against the Lady Lions, as the Colonels have never beaten Southeastern La. in 21 all-time meetings. Although the Colonels scored twice in last year's 5-2 loss, Nicholls has played to within one goal of the Lady Lions four times in team history.

Oral Roberts continues its inaugural season in the Southland Conference with the Golden Eagles' first ever trip to Thibodaux on Sunday. Nicholls and ORU have never met on the soccer pitch in what will be the beginning of a long-standing rivalry with the Tulsa-based institution.

Outside of league competition, ORU (8-4-2, 2-1 SLC) had three similar opponents to the Colonels this season, with the two standout opponents being Oklahoma and Tulsa. The Golden Eagles defeated the Sooners 1-0, while tying the Golden Hurricane 1-1 in a grueling non-conference schedule this season.

ORU is on a two-match winning streak, with a thrilling overtime win against previously undefeated Sam Houston State in the final minute of double overtime last weekend. Kayla Keller leads the team with four goals, while four other players each have three. Helen Erb has eight shutouts on the year, and outside of a 5-0 loss to league-leading Stephen F. Austin, has not given up a goal in five of her last six matches.

Nicholls students can get into both matches free with their Colonel Card, while general admission is $5. Live stats of the match will be available at geauxcolonels.com.