No. 6 DBU (7-0-0) vs ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY (7-5-1)
March 19 | 1:00 p.m. | Dallas, TX | Patriot Field

MULTI-MEDIA COVERAGE
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Twitter: @DBUWomensSoccer
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COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF
The No. 6 nationally ranked DBU Women's Soccer team is entering this weekend after a dominating performance over UT-Tyler on Wednesday night at Patriot Field, a game that saw DBU win by a score of 4-1 on Senior Night.

On an incredibly windy night, the Patriots would start the game in their signature 4-2-3-1 formation and see all seven seniors get a start on the night. Early in the game, UT-Tyler would find the back of the net and put the Patriots down 1-0 for only the second time this year. With the wind at their back in the first half, DBU would pin UT-Tyler in their defensive side of the field for the majority of the half. With UT-Tyler pinned in, DBU would use the wingers of Delaney Schmidt, Alondra Olmos, Jenna Patterson, and Kaleigh Naizer to go at the outside backs and take them on down the endline, a plan that would see the Patriots end up with six corner kicks in the fist half. In the 20th minute of the match, Kaci Parks would capitalize on one of these corner kicks as she curled the ball into the back post directly from her set piece to tie the game at 1-1.
 
When the Patriots came out in the second half, there was a strong urgency amongst the side to go out and dominate. Four minutes into the half, Asley Merrill would score her 10th goal of the year as she hit the ball across her body from the far side of the 18 to see the ball nestle into the back post. Merrill and the Patriots would not stop there, in the 73rd minute of the match Merrill would dribble the entire length of the attacking half to beat the UT-Tyler goalie once more at the back post to score her 11th goal in 7 games.
 
As the game was coming to a close, Marit Auee would bring down a perfectly placed Kaci Parks cross and strike it towards frame to add a fourth goal to the score board for the Patriots. Auee has now scored five goals on the year all while playing on the backline for DBU.
 
Throughout the game, DBU went after UT-Tyler in the offensive third. The Patriots entered into the final third 61 times, making it all the way in the 18-yard box 21 times. For comparison, UT-Tyler entered DBU's attacking their 21 times, only making it to the penalty box four of those times. DBU maintained possession of the ball for 60% of the match with an average spell of possession being 12 seconds long. Every single Patriot that started completed 60% or more of their entire passes on the night, with seven players completing 75% or more.
 
This team continues to use their signature style of play to control games and wear down the opposing team. The Patriots were able to do so once again on Wednesday night and come away with a 4-1 win.

PATRIOT STORYLINES
 - Junior Gabrielle Heller continues to showcase why she was named Preseason Co-Defensive Player of the Year as she had a stellar game on Wednesday. Heller won 78% of her defensive challenges and made eight interceptions of the ball. Playing right back for the majority of the game, Heller was also able to heavily contribute to the attack for DBU. On the night, she completed 85% of her passes and completed 75% of her attacking dribbles. Heller has been a tremendous presence on the backline for a DBU side that has only allowed four goals all year.

 - As a team, DBU is excellent defensively. Combined between every player who saw action on Wednesday night, the Patriots won 71% of all of their defensive challenges. Historically, DBU has always been strong defensively; however, this year the Patriots are taking it to another level. Every player on the field is willing to go into challenges aggressively and come out with it at their feet.

 - This team really likes to ping the ball around. DBU was accurate on a total of 74% of their passes and successful completed 333 against UT-Tyler. Over more than 100 completed passes than their opposition. Being able to control the ball and keep it so cleanly is what allows this team to have a strong grip on the game.  

 - The Patriots swept the LSC Player of the Week awards after their performances against LSU and UT-Tyler. Ashley Merrill and Marit Auee won Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week respectively, the second of the season for both of them. Adrianna Schroeder was also tabbed LSC Goalkeeper of the week for her stellar performances in both of the wins for DBU.
 
- Sophomore Jenna Patterson continues to be reliable on the wing for DBU. Patterson is able to connect with her fellow attackers in Kaci Parks, Delaney Schmidt, and Ashley Merrill to create chances on the wing. The Fate, TX native is good and going at her defenders and beating them on the outside to get into dangerous areas and set up her partners.

SCOUTING ABILENE CHRISTIAN
 - The Wildcats are currently 7-5-1 on the season, with a 3-3-0 record in the Southland Conference.

- In 2019, ACU finished 2nd in the Southland Conference with an overall record of 12-5-2 and a conference record of 8-2-1.

- Head Coach Casey Wilson is in his 14th year at the helm of the ACU soccer program. Wilson oversaw the ACU team transition from the Lone Star Conference and NCAA DII to the Southland Conference and NCAA DI. Wilson has yet to experience and in-conference losing season at ACU. When they were still a member of the Lone Star Conference, ACU reached the Elite Eight in 2011 under Wilson's leadership.

- The wildcats return four All-Conference selections in Natalie Jones, Christina Arteaga, Caylen Wright, and Alyssia Anuat. Jones was also named Southland Conference Freshman of the Year in 2019.

SERIES HISTORY
DBU is 2-5 all-time against the Wildcats. The last meeting between the two teams was in 2012 in a match that would see DBU come out with the win.

UP NEXT
The Patriots will travel up to Oklahoma City to square off with LSC opponent Oklahoma Christian University in a match scheduled for Wednesday, March 24th. Kickoff is set for 5:00 p.m.