GUNNISON, Colo.  Mountaineer soccer initiates its home slate of games on the 2024 schedule with the opener Thursday under the Katy O. Rady Field lights against Eastern New Mexico, then closes the weekend with a Sunday morning date against visiting St. Edwards (Texas).

MOUNTAINEERS HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | 2024 Stats

• Western was on the road to begin the 2024 campaign, dropping a pair of games in Texas by 6-1 and 4-2 counts. The two-goal deficit in the second of those two defeats was a bit misleading as the two teams were tied at 2-2 in the 57th minute—alternating al four goals in the span of just seven minutes—until host West Texas A&M broke the tie in the 60th, then added a late insurance goal.
• Winter Woolley notched the opening goal for Western in that loss, scoring her first collegiate goal, coming off assists from Abby Raio and Jordan Welsh.
• Sarah Connelly, off a dish from Taylor Bottoms, scored the equalizing goal three minutes later to tie the game at 2-2.
• Though the team was out shot in those two games, the Mountaineers were nearly even on earning corner kick opportunities, 10-9.

EASTERN NEW MEXICO HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | 2024 Stats

• The Greyhounds have begun the season with a draw and a shutout loss, both against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams.
• Eastern and Adams State finished knotted at 1-1, a second consecutive draw with the Grizzlies, before falling 3-0 to Fort Lewis.
• The top nine goal scorers from the Greyhounds' 2023 team are no longer with the program, leaving senior defender Sierra Villanueva, with one goal, as the lone returning player with a goal in 2023.
• Eastern's starting goalkeeper from last season is also gone, with freshman Rosie Willmott Joyce taking 165 minutes between the pipes to begin the season. She's surrendered all four goals for a 2.19 goals against average, and has made a total of nine saves.
• The Greyhounds earned the victory the last time the two teams played, taking a 1-0 win over the host Mountaineers, scoring the game-winner late in the 87th minute.

ST. EDWARDS HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND | 2024 Stats

• The Hilltoppers have played in two tight contest to open their season, losing 1-0 in their home opener, then playing to a 1-1 draw three days later on their home turf.
• This game marks the first contest between Western and St. Edwards.
• The 2023 season ended with a first-round loss in the Lone Star Conference tournament after the Hilltoppers had posted a 5-5-2 league record. The loss moved the season mark to 6-7-3.
• Freshman Annie Rocha has scored SEU's lone goal this season.
• The top two goal scorers from last season must be replaced, but Tristyn Cabello returns after totaling 10 points, second most on the team, from two goals and six assists.
• Daria Schlumbohm saw 1,035 minutes in goal for the Hilltoppers during her freshman season in 2023, allowing 15 goals while accumulating 49 saves. Schlumbohm played every minute in goal over the season's first two games.

UP NEXT
Western continues its early-season non-conference schedule with a trip to Kearney, Nebraska, where it will play host University of Nebraska Kearney on Sept. 20, followed by a neutral-site match against Washburn at UNK's Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field.