UTSA to kick off Southland Conference play this weekend

SAN ANTONIO — UTSA will close out a five-match home stand this weekend with the beginning of Southland Conference play. The Roadrunners will host preseason favorite Stephen F. Austin at 7 p.m. on Friday before a matchup with Sam Houston State at 1 p.m. two days later.

UTSA is 2-0-1 during its current home stand and the Roadrunners (3-5-1) have outscored their opponents, 12-3, in the three matches.

UTSA closed out its non-conference portion of the schedule with a 2-0 victory against Weber State. Sophomore Maria Jose Rojas recorded the first multi-goal match of her career with a pair of strikes in the second half and was named Southland Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday. Sophomores Anka Grotle (defense) and Danielle Snyder (goalkeeper) also were honored, as the Birds swept the league’s weekly awards for the first time in program history.

Picked by the league’s coaches to finish first in the preseason, the Ladyjacks (5-2-1) enter the weekend with a six-match unbeaten streak. Stephen F. Austin has notched wins against Oral Roberts, UTEP, Houston Baptist, TCU and Jackson State to go along with a 1-1 tie at Louisiana Tech. The Ladyjacks are led by two-time first-team all-conference selection Kylie Louw, whose 12 points (three goals/six assists) rank eighth in the Southland. Laura Sadler and Chelsea Raymond own four goals each, while goalie Lacey Lee has recorded three shutouts this fall.

The Bearkats (4-6-1) will open Southland action with Texas State on Friday night before making the drive down IH-35 to the Alamo City. Sam Houston State has won two of its last four matches, including a 1-0 victory at Prairie View A&M last Sunday, entering the weekend. Tricia Mallory paces the squad with 13 points (six goals/one assist) to tie for fourth best in the circuit and Mallory Garthwaite leads the league with a 0.57 goals against average.

The series between UTSA and Stephen F. Austin is tied 2-2-3. The Roadrunners and Ladyjacks played to a 1-1 tie on Nov. 5, 2010, in the semifinals of the Southland Tournament before UTSA advanced on penalty kicks, 5-4, en route to its first-ever Southland Championship and berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Meanwhile, the Birds own a 5-2 series lead over Sam Houston State, including a 1-0 triumph in the last meeting (Oct. 29, 2010).