AUSTIN, Texas — St. Edward's women's soccer gets a break from nationally ranked opponents this week, but little relief from the stakes as the Hilltoppers pursue six available points to strengthen their postseason hopes.
The Hilltoppers host Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday at 4 p.m., then travel to face UT Permian Basin on Saturday at 11 a.m. The Greyhounds and Falcons enter the week a combined 1-14 in conference play, while St. Edward's has collected five points through a victory and two conference draws.
St. Edward's has generated more shots per match than either opponent, but translating that activity into consistent scoring remains the challenge. The Hilltoppers average 11.82 attempts, with 32.3 percent on target, while both opponents put at least half their shots on goal. St. Edward's has shown sparks from different players in different facets of the game. Now, the Hilltoppers need to thread those contributions together into a more complete performance.
ANNIE ROCHA provides much of the attacking activity, ranking fourth in the Lone Star Conference with 3.20 shots per match. The Hilltoppers have also demonstrated the combinations needed to create cleaner opportunities, from TRULY CUEVAS' penetration and drop pass for DAYLAN NATES against West Texas A&M to ISABELLA RUIZ's give-and-go with Maddie Creswell in the Battle of the Saints.
Eastern New Mexico enters Wednesday 1-8-1 overall and 0-7 in conference play. The Greyhounds opened with a scoreless draw against New Mexico Highlands and a 2-1 victory over Western Colorado, but arrive in Austin having been held scoreless in four consecutive matches.
The Greyhounds have struggled to contain opposing attacks, allowing 21 shots per match and 40 goals this season. Goalkeeper Aja Gonzales has absorbed much of that pressure with a conference-leading 74 saves.
Those numbers suggest an opportunity for St. Edward's to sustain pressure, but Eastern's limited shot volume also carries a reminder to remain organized behind the ball. The Greyhounds lead the conference in shot accuracy at 54.8 percent despite averaging only 6.20 attempts per match.
Raylene Carillo has supplied two of Eastern New Mexico's three assists, while Arissa C'deBaca, Addison Garver, and Isabel Ramirez have each scored once. Ramirez gave the Greyhounds a second-half lead against UTPB before the Falcons rallied, showing how one connection can change a match even when Eastern spends long stretches defending.
Saturday presents a different challenge against a UTPB team that enters the week 4-7 overall and 1-7 in the LSC, with a Wednesday trip to Texas Woman's before hosting St. Edward's. The Falcons have scored 14 goals, although 10 came during their three victories to open the season. Their eight conference matches have produced four goals.
Cassandra Ramirez leads UTPB with five goals and 11 points, putting 15 of her 21 shots on target. Breanna Reagan, Mariela Ojeda, and Kally Calcaterra each add two goals, giving the Falcons several finishing options when they advance out of their defensive third.
Recent matches suggest St. Edward's will need patience against a defense willing to crowd shooting lanes. UTPB blocked seven Lubbock Christian attempts in the opening 27 minutes of a 1-0 loss, then defended deep against DBU. The Falcons also created second-half opportunities against LCU through Trinity Vasquez and an Ojeda counterattack, reinforcing the importance of protecting against transitions while pushing for a breakthrough.
Service into the box could provide an opening. UTPB allowed three headed goals across its matches against UT Dallas and Lubbock Christian, then conceded two more against DBU. Moving the defense with varied service and attacking second balls could help St. Edward's turn possession into better scoring opportunities.
The Hilltoppers have shown what their attack can produce when the pieces connect. With postseason positioning at stake, this week offers an opportunity to make those connections more consistently and turn promising stretches into points.
