AUSTIN, Texas — St. Edward's women's soccer has spent the opening weeks of the season measuring itself against some of the best teams in the country. This week, the Hilltoppers look to turn the lessons from that demanding schedule into production in Lone Star Conference play.
St. Edward's travels to Oklahoma Christian on Wednesday before returning to Lewis-Chen Family Field to host West Texas A&M on Saturday. The two matches arrive at a familiar point on the calendar for the Hilltoppers, whose season began to change direction against the same opponents a year ago.
The Hilltoppers opened their conference schedule last season with a 2-0 loss to Oklahoma Christian despite outshooting the Eagles 15-7. Three days later, St. Edward's transformed similar attacking pressure into a 3-2 victory at West Texas A&M, using precision passing and clinical finishing to score three times in the opening 51 minutes.
That victory sparked a run of four wins in five matches and helped propel St. Edward's toward an eventual appearance in the LSC Tournament quarterfinals.
This year's Hilltoppers enter the week still searching for their first victory, but their record comes within the context of one of the more challenging opening stretches in the region. St. Edward's has already faced No. 4 UCCS and No. 21 Nova Southeastern, along with a No. 15 Texas Woman's team that remains unbeaten after being picked third in the LSC Preseason Poll.
Those matches exposed areas that require growth, but they also revealed the level the Hilltoppers can reach. St. Edward's produced some of its best soccer of the season during the second half against Nova Southeastern, pressing the nationally ranked Sharks, connecting through the midfield and creating sustained pressure around the penalty area.
The next step is to extend those stretches and turn possession and shot volume into goals.
Through five matches, St. Edward's averages 13.4 shots per game, ranking ninth in the LSC and 100th nationally. ANNIE ROCHA has remained at the center of the Hilltoppers' attack, averaging 3.4 attempts to rank fourth in the conference and 59th nationally.
The disparity between total attempts and shots on goal illustrates where the breakthrough must occur. St. Edward's has placed 29.9 percent of its attempts on frame, averaging four shots on goal and 0.6 goals per match. The Hilltoppers' shot accuracy ranks 15th in the LSC, meaning the difference between pressure and production will come from creating cleaner looks, making more decisive final passes and forcing opposing goalkeepers to work more consistently.
That contrast will be especially relevant this week. Oklahoma Christian and West Texas A&M average 13.17 and 13.5 shots per game, respectively, giving all three teams comparable attacking volume. However, the Eagles have placed 54.4 percent of their attempts on target, while the Lady Buffs have connected on 54.3 percent. For St. Edward's, the challenge is not simply creating more chances, but extracting more value from the opportunities it already generates.
Senior midfielder RILEY SISSON has provided the Hilltoppers' most consistent production, scoring twice to rank tied for 13th in the LSC. Rocha has contributed a goal and an assist, including the cross to MADISON CRESWELL for St. Edward's goal against Nova Southeastern.
St. Edward's will first face an Oklahoma Christian team that has followed a fast start with consecutive conference losses. The Eagles opened the season 3-1 behind three shutouts and outscored their opponents 8-1 during their victories. Since then, Oklahoma Christian has fallen to Texas Woman's and Lubbock Christian to begin LSC play.
Caid Jefferson remains the focal point of the Eagles' attack. After leading Oklahoma Christian with four goals and four assists last season, Jefferson has scored four times through six matches this year. She ranks second in the LSC and 10th nationally with a .778 shot accuracy, placing seven of her nine attempts on goal. Jefferson is also second in the conference with 2.33 shots on goal per match.
Jefferson scored both goals in last season's meeting with St. Edward's and is especially dangerous when Oklahoma Christian can turn restarts, turnovers or direct passes into opportunities inside the box. Jenna Munson serves as one of the Eagles' primary creators, ranking third in the LSC with three assists, while goalkeeper Breanna Wooten anchors a defense that has recorded three shutouts and allows 0.83 goals per match. Wooten has made 23 saves with an .821 save percentage.
Saturday's match brings West Texas A&M to Austin after the Lady Buffs opened conference play with a 1-1 draw against Lubbock Christian and a 4-0 loss to No. 4 DBU. WT entered the season with 18 newcomers, including nine transfers and nine freshmen, and has combined flashes of attacking potential with the inconsistencies expected from a roster still learning to play together.
Freshman Braely Martinez has supplied two of the Lady Buffs' five goals, while senior goalkeeper Franciezca Blancaflor remains one of the conference's more experienced players at her position. Blancaflor ranks fifth in the LSC with 26 saves and fourth with two shutouts, posting a .788 save percentage and a 1.27 goals-against average.
West Texas A&M's 13.5 shots per match narrowly lead the three teams entering the week, and its 7.33 shots on goal per game rank seventh in the conference. That makes Saturday another test of efficiency for a Hilltopper side looking to recreate the sharp movement and finishing that decided last year's meeting.
The difficult opening schedule has shown St. Edward's where the standard lies. This week offers an opportunity to demonstrate what the Hilltoppers learned from it—and, much like last season, turn early growing pains into conference momentum.
