OKLAHOMA CITY – Currently off to its best start in more than a decade, the MACU women's soccer team is preparing for its biggest non-conference tests of the season as the Evangels host Arizona Christian at the Dill Soccer Field for a 5 p.m. kickoff on Thursday night before wrapping up its four-game home stand against Bellevue (Neb.) at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
 
SEASON REPORT

• Record: 6-0
• Last Match: Won vs. Central Baptist (Ark.) – 4-0 – Sept. 11, 2023 – Dill Soccer Field
• Top Performers:
  • Gladis Avalos – SO – F
    • 5 Goals, 1 Assist, 11 Points, 13 Shots, 8 SOG, 1 GWG
  • Madison Chavez – FR – F
    • 4 Goals, 3 Assists, 11 Points, 22 Shots, 14 SOG, 2 GWG
  • Jasmine Morales – JR – F
    • 4 Goals, 8 Points, 15 Shots, 11 SOG, 2 GWG
  • Rachel Torres – SR – GK
    • 6-0 W-L, 0.57 GAA, 13 Saves, .813 SV%, 3 SHO, 1 CBO
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian kept up its hot offensive streak on Monday against Central Baptist as the Evangels notched their third straight win by four or more goals after defeating Central Baptist 4-0.
  • Currently, MACU is the top scoring team in the Sooner Athletic Conference as its 4.00 goals per game average currently ranks 11^th in the entire NAIA. The results have also translated to the defensive end as well as the Evangels' 0.50 goals allowed average also leads the SAC and is currently tied for 12^th in the NAIA.
  • A big reason for MACU's offensive success has been the play of a pair of young forwards in sophomore Gladis Avalos and freshman Madison Chavez. By netting her fifth goal of the year in the win over CBC, Avalos ranks third in the SAC in goal scoring while Madison Chavez ranks fourth in the league in both goals scored (4) and assists (3).
  • On the defensive side, first-year starter Rachel Torres has been a huge bright spot in-goal for the Evangels as the senior keeper is posting the SAC's lowest goals allowed average (0.57), the most shutouts (3) and third-highest save percentage (.813).

SCOUTING REPORT
Arizona Christian

• Record: 4-1-1
• Last Match: Won vs Bethesda (Calif.) – 3-2 – Sept. 8, 2023 – Glendale, Ariz.
• Series vs MACU (2019-): MACU leads 2-0
• Last Match vs MACU: MACU won 4-0 – Oct. 8, 2020 – Dill Soccer Field
• Series Streak: MACU won 2
• Players to Watch:
  • Cameron Mercado – JR – M
    • 5 Goals, 1 Assist, 11 Points, 36 Shots, 13 SOG, 2 GWG
  • Justyne Underwood – JR – F
    • 4 Goals, 2 Assists, 10 Points, 21 Shots, 16 SOG
  • Alyssa Mercado – SR – D
    • 2 Goals, 1 Assist, 5 Points, 13 Shots, 6 SOG
  • Brenna Sonsini – SO – GK
    • 2-1-1 W-L, 1.33 GAA, 23 Saves, .793 SV%, 1 CBO
• Team Notes:
  • After dropping their home-opener against Corban (Ore.) on Aug. 17, the Firestorm enter Thursday's match on a five-match undefeated streak, winning four of the last five with their most recent victory coming in a 3-2 affair on Sept. 8.
  • A bulk load of the ACU offense will run through junior midfielder Cameron Mercado and junior forward Justyne Underwood, who have combined to score nine of the Firestorm's 14 goals this season to go with three of the squad's seven assists.
  • While sophomore Brenna Sonsini has held down the fort in the keeper position for Arizona Christian this season, the Firestorm have been utilizing a two-goalkeeper system over the last three matches with freshman stopper Tayler Wonderly seeing second half action, posting a 2.00 goals allowed average on a 62.5 save percentage.
  • Mid-America Christian will be facing the Firestorm for the third time in the last five seasons. The two previous meetings between the two programs came in 2019 and 2020 when the Evangels notched a 4-1 victory in Phoenix on Sept. 2, 2019 before coming away with a 4-nil win at the Dill Soccer Field the following season on Oct. 8.

Bellevue (Neb.)

• Record: 5-1-1
• Last Match: Won vs. Northwestern (Iowa) – 5-0 – Sept. 9, 2023 – Papillion, Neb.
• Series vs MACU: First Meeting
• Last Match vs MACU: N/A
• Series Streak: N/A
• Players to Watch:
  • Emma Madej – SO – F
    • 8 Goals, 2 Assists, 18 Points, 42 Shots, 24 SOG, 3 GWG
  • Ximena Jauregui – JR – D
    • 4 Goals, 7 Assists, 15 Points, 35 Shots, 19 SOG
  • Ella Pelletier – JR – M
    • 3 Goals, 6 Points, 9 Shots, 6 SOG
  • Alessia Ricciardi – FR – GK
    • 5-1-1 W-L, 1.00 GAA, 20 Saves, .741 SV%, 3 SHO
• Team Notes:
  • Bellevue has been red-hot in the month of September, entering Saturday's match with a 3-0 record since Sept. 2. The Bruins are coming off a dominant performance at home against Northwestern (Iowa) on Sept. 9 after coming away with a 5-nil victory.
  • The Evangels will need to key on one of the nation's top strikers in junior forward Emma Madej, who currently ranks fifth in the NAIA in goals scored with eight on the year.  Junior Ximena Jauregui has also been a stellar offensive catalyst for BU this season as she comes into the match as the NAIA's leader in assists with seven.
  • Defensively, Bellevue features a strong backfield that is only conceding 1.0 goals on seven shots with just four attempts landing on-target per match. Freshman keeper Alessia Ricciardi has played a key part in the Bruins's defensive efforts, stopping 74.1 percent of the shot attempts she's faced.
  • Mid-America Christian and Bellevue will be battling each other for the first time in the two programs' respective histories.