LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (0-0) vs.
UT PERMIAN BASIN (0-0)
Wednesday, February 24 – 7 p.m.
LCU Soccer & Track Complex – Lubbock, Texas
 
LADY CHAP HEADERS

• Due to the winter storm that covered most of the state of Texas last week, this will be Lubbock Christian first time in competition in 17 days
• Wednesday's matchup will technically be the season-opener for the Lady Chaps, although they have already hosted an exhibition game against Abilene Christian
• The 2021 LSC women's soccer schedule will feature two seven-team divisions with a single round-robin with an additional conference game against an in-division opponent
• LCU led the LSC in goals scored last season with 47. Although they graduated their top goal-scorer in Haley Knesek, they still return 29 of those goals on the 2020-21 roster
• All 13 teams in the league will qualify for the LSC Championship, which will begin on April 3 and conclude with the championship match on April 13

 
THE WAITING GAME
Wednesday night's matchup with UT Permian Basin was supposed to be the third game of the Spring 2021 regular season (if anything about the last year can be called regular). Mother Nature had other ideas though, as a winter storm swept through the state of Texas, canceling/postponing two regular season games as well as an LCU exhibition against UTEP. The visiting Falcons also had what was supposed to be their season-opener against St. Mary's postponed because of the storm.
 
NEW HOME, WHO DIS
Although the men's soccer team has the distinction of playing the first official game at the new LCU Soccer & Track Complex, which was completed last year, Wednesday's meeting with UT Permian Basin will be the first Lady Chap game hosted at the new facility. The complex eatures a turf playing surface with an eight-lane track around the perimeter, lights for night games and stadium seating for up to 500 fans. The Lady Chaps have historically been excellent at home under head coach Alex Denning, never posting a losing record on their own field in his tenure. In 2019, LCU went 8-1-1 in home games, scoring 18 goals while allowing just five from their opponents. Scott scored a team-leading six goals in last seasons' 10 home games.
 
SHUTOUT CENTRAL
In 2019, Lubbock Christian ranked third in the Lone Star Conference in shutouts with nine on the season – six of which came on their home field. Hannah Wise was in goal for the entirety of eight of those shutouts and combined with another goalkeeper for the ninth one. Overall, the Lady Chaps allowed an average of just .95 goals per game, which was the fourth-best mark in the LSC. The allowed just 189 shots and 83 shots on goal for the year.
 
THE ONES THAT DON'T COUNT
Even though no official game has been played by the Lady Chaps during the 2020-21 school year, they have been on the field in competitive settings a number of times throughout the year. In the fall, when LCU would have traditionally played in a non-COVID year, they played several scrimmages against fellow LSC teams as well as an exhibition against Division I Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, in which they forced overtime before falling. The Lady Chaps also played an exhibition against Division I Abilene Christian earlier this month, again taking their opponent to overtime.
 
PRESEASON PICKINGS
The spring 2021 Lone Star Conference preseason poll and awards were announced on Wednesday, with the Lady Chaps picked to finish third and Hannah Wise earning Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year honors. LCU tallied 301 points in the poll, behind Dallas Baptist and St. Edward's. Third is exactly where LCU finished during the 2019 season, and Wise was honored with her award after allowing just 17 goals in more than 1700 minutes on the field a year ago.
 
IN THE STANDS
Admission for Sunday's game is free, but there will be guidelines in place to combat the spread of COVID-19. Masks will be required for all attendees, with seating every other row and at least two seats or six feet in between families in the stands. Seating regulations could be changed to match local and/or state mandates.
 
SCOUTING THE FALCONS

• UTPB finished dead last in the conference in both scoring with .375 goals per game and defense with 3.69 goals per game allowed during the 2019 season
• The Falcons added a Division I transfer to their roster for the 2020-21 campaign with goalkeeper Ally Robinson transferring in after spending her freshman season at Abilene Christian
• Lubbock Christian took on UTPB twice during the 2019 season, winning 11-0 and 3-0 in the two contests. They also faced off in a scrimmage in the fall, with LCU winning 5-0 thanks to a first half hat trick from Allison Scott
• Kessie Stocker, the only Falcon to score multiple goals last year, graduated after the season. The only player who scored a goal last year and returns for this season is Kalee Overmeyer
• Lynsey Winkler is in her first season at the helm of the Falcon women's soccer program after spending the last three seasons as the assistant at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash.

THE SERIES WITH THE FALCONS
Lubbock Christian and UT Permian Basin have met on the women's soccer field 11 times, with the Lady Chaps going 8-2-1 in that time. LCU has been dominant in the series of late, winning the last five contests, including an 11-0 thrashing last season that matched the program single-game record for goals scored. UTPB's last win came in 2015 by a score of 2-1 in Odessa. That season also featured the only tie between the two squads.