OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma City women's soccer team gears up for its home-opener against Our Lady of the Lake at 6 PM on Brian Harvey Field. 

Thursday, August 29
6:00 p.m. – Oklahoma City (1-0, 0-0 SAC) vs Our Lady of the Lake (0-0, 0-0 RRAC)
Location: Oklahoma City | Brian Harvey Field
TV | Live Stats

PLAYERS TO WATCH
The top goal scorer off last year's team returns after a big sophomore season in Abby Russell after hauling in first-team all-conference honors by scoring a team-high nine goals while also leading the squad with seven assists. Throughout the 2023 season, Russell has went on a four-game scoring streak from Aug. 30 - Sept. 16 and then put together another streak of scoring in three straight games from Oct. 17-24. Russell tallied two assists in the season-opener last Saturday on goals by Reese Roberts and Chloi Thurman.

The number-two goal scorer off last year's team Reese Roberts comes back after a stellar rookie campaign receiving second-team all-conference accolades.  Roberts went on a streak from Sept. 26 - Oct.3 scoring in three straight games while delivering a game-winning goal from 40 yards out to take down USAO for the first time since 2018 in a regular season match up on Oct. 3. Roberts came back like she never left having scored the first goal of the season for OCU on Saturday against Jarvis Christian. 

In her two season's a OCU, Piper Nichols has been a player to rarely come off the field for the Stars. Nichols has played in 37 games over her two season's at Oklahoma City and has started in every one of them. Even though being one of the top defenders in the conference, Nichols found the back of the net one time last season coming on Oct. 24 in a 2-1 win over SAGU. 

SCOUTING THE SAINTS...
Thursday's game will be the first bit of action OLLU has seen in 2024 after competing in a handful of exhibition games. The Saints put together a 9-5-2 season in 2023 while going 8-3-2 in conference, with a strong record at home of 6-2 however was just 3-3-2 on the road.

The Saint return their top goal scorer from a year ago in Sara Garza who led the way with eight goals on a .308 shooting percentage.  OLLU also brings back Leah Tapia who scored four goals for the Saints which tied for second on the team with Jaylin Seto who also led with five assists but departed from the team after graduation. 

SERIES HISTORY
The two schools are quite familiar with one another as Thursday's match will be the 10th time OCU and OLLU have squared off. 

The series is currently tied up at 4-4-1 after Oklahoma City won for the first time since 2017 over the Saints last season.

Abby Russell had a big game last year in 3-0 win with two assists and a goal that put the game away in the 73rd minute. 

Reese Roberts and Yami Ponce provided the two first half goals for the Stars as goalkeeper Gemma Harvey kept the Saints off the board with three saves.

FOLLOW THE STARS
Find all news, scores, highlights and updates on ocusports.com, Twitter (@ocustars), Instagram (@ocustars), Facebook (Oklahoma City University Stars) and Youtube (@ocustars). Catch every OCU home game and select away games on the SAC Sports Network.
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