OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma City women's soccer team will open Sooner Athletic Conference play on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. against Southwestern Christian on Brian Harvey Field looking to snap a three game skid. 

Saturday, Sept. 26
5:00 p.m. - Oklahoma City (4-3, 0-0 SAC) vs Southwestern Christian (1-1-4, 0-0 SAC)
Location: Oklahoma City | Brian Harvey Field
TV: SAC Sports Network
Live Stats: ocusports.com

STARS OUTLOOK
Oklahoma City will open conference play on Saturday in the middle of a three game skid where two of the losses came to NCAA Division II opponents where the other came to Bellevue who scored in the final minute of the contest to beat the Stars 1-0. OCU started its season 4-0 out scoring its opponents 23-3 as Hallie Crom posted two hat tricks during the four-game winning streak. The Stars have had seven different players score who all have two or more goals on the season Hallie Crom leads the way with seven as Yami Ponce is second with four after notching a hat trick against Sterling and scored the lone goal against Pittsburg State. Abby Russell and Chloi Thurman each have three goals on the year as Russell nailed two against Sterling and holds the team-lead with five assists. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Hallie Crom
Getting out to a hot start in non-conference play in the 2024 campaign, Crom has put together two hat tricks in back-to-back games coming against Bethany and Sterling. After scoring just one goal in her first season last year, the Stars senior now leads the team with seven goals. 

Abby Russell
The top goal scorer of last year's team and first team all-conference member Abby Russell has been very active in junior season by either scoring or assisting in four of the seven games this season. Russell ties for the third most goals on the team with three as Russell scored her first goal of the season on Aug. 29 against Our Lady of the Lake in the Stars home-opener as she netted the game-winner in the 82nd minute to lead Oklahoma City to a 2-1 win. 

Saizlee Carlton
Carlton only saw action in three games a season ago, however the Stars junior has made a strong impact in 2024 as a starter in all seven games. Carlton has scored or assisted in three of the seven games this season while she did both against Our Lady of the Lake before notching two assists in the same match against Sterling. 

Yami Ponce
While not scoring last year during her freshman season, Ponce broke out in a big way against Sterling by not only scoring the first goal of her career but posting a hat trick in the 11-1 win over the Knights. Ponce became the Stars second-leading scorer behind Crom after knocking down a penalty kick in the ninth minute against Pitt State last Thursday. 

SCOUTING THE EAGLES…
Southwestern Christian comes into Saturday's contest 1-1-4 with its lone victory being on the road against Bethany by a score of 6-0. The Eagles single defeat was to Colorado Christian falling 4-0 at home back on Sept. 8. The rest of SCU's matches ended in ties with three of the four ending 0-0 with the draw against Stephens College finishing up at 2-2. Hadley McIanahan and Marina Angiolini leads the Eagles with goals apiece while McLanahan also holds the team lead with two assists which came in the teams most recent match against Bethany. 

SERIES HISTORY
Since first meeting in 2013, Southwestern Christian remains winless against Oklahoma City as the Stars hold a 10-0-1 record over the Eagles with the one tie coming in 2022. Oklahoma City secured the win a season ago in the late par of the contest as an Abby Russell goal in the 85th minute gave the Stars a 1-0 victory on the road.

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.