Match Info

THIBODAUX, La. – After a thrilling opening first week, the Nicholls State University women's soccer team hits the road for the first time this season, traveling to face the ULM Warhawks and Prairie View A&M Panthers this Friday and Sunday.
 
Nicholls (1-0-1) defeated Southern 8-1 and earned a 1-1 tie with South Alabama last week, outshooting both opponents 38-11 over the course of the two matches.
 
Last Time Out
The Nicholls women's soccer team opened the 2013 regular season at home and came away with a big, 8-1 win over Southern last Friday and a 1-1 draw against South Alabama on Sunday. The Colonels were solid in nearly every phase over the weekend, as sophomore midfielder Jess Coates was honored with the first Southland Conference Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week Award after becoming the first player since 2010 to earn a hat trick with three goals. Not to be outdone, freshman Hannah Savoie had an outstanding weekend assisting on two of Coates' goals and had one of her own against Southern and scoring the lone Nicholls goal of the afternoon against South Alabama. Amber Moore played every minute in both games, helping anchor a defense that allowed just five shots on goal during the weekend. Amanda Boylson faced 11 shots and made three saves on the weekend.
 
Scouting ULM
Led by second-year head coach Roberta Mazza, the Warhawks are 1-2 on the year after losses to SMU and No. 25 LSU earlier in the week. However, ULM saw a big boost in confidence after throttling Grambling 9-0 in one of the most lopsided victories in ULM history. Two players turned hat tricks in the match, with Nancy Kirk providing seven points to earn College Sports Madness Sun Belt Player of the Week honors. Coming off of a 4-15 campaign in 2012, ULM was picked to finish ninth in the SBC with one senior and 21 newcomers to the roster. The Colonels defeated ULM 4-1 last season in Thibodaux.
 
Scouting Prairie View A&M
The Panthers enter the weekend 0-2 and hits the road to battle against Texas State on Friday before welcoming Nicholls for PVAMU's home opener against the Colonels on Sunday. Nicholls will be the third of five Southland Conference opponents the squad will face this season, having already fallen to Lamar in a 3-2 nail biter and 3-1 loss to newcomer Incarnate Word. The Panthers were picked as the preseason favorite to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference after winning the SWAC Western Division and sporting the preseason defensive player of the year in Debbie Arguelles. This will be the fifth meeting between the two teams, as Nicholls fell for the first time to the Panthers 3-2 in Thibodaux last year.
 
Up Next
Nicholls returns home to take on the Mississippi Valley State Devilettes and the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns next Friday and Sunday.