SWAC Soccer Championships Preview | Grambling State

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – Entering the tournament as the No. 7 seed, Alcorn Soccer will open its account at the 2022 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Women's Soccer Championships set to begin Thursday, Nov. 3, in Prairie View, Texas. Once in the "Lone Star State", the Braves will challenge No. 2 seed Grambling State on Thursday at 4 p.m., in opening round action.
 
THE GAME: No. 7 Alcorn Braves (5-8-4, 3-3-3 SWAC) vs. No. 2 Grambling State (10-7-3, 5-1-3 SWAC)
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 3, at 4 p.m. CT
WHERE: PVAMU Soccer Complex (Prairie View, Texas)
WATCH: The SWAC Digital Network will stream all games via YouTube (click here)
 
IN THE RANKINGS
Alcorn is not ranked in this week's United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll. Grambling State is not ranked in this week's United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll.
 
SWAC SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS CENTRAL
Fans wishing to keep up with everything happening across the SWAC Soccer Championships can visit the tournament central website at SWAC.org. The bracket for this year's event can be accessed by clicking here.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Keep up with everything Alcorn Soccer this year by following the Braves on all their social media platforms. You can follow @AlcornWomensSoccer on Instagram and @AlcornSoccer on Twitter.
 
SERIES VS. GRAMBLING STATE
Grambling State leads the all-time series against Alcorn by a count of 17 wins, three losses and two draws. The Tigers have won five of the last six outings, respectfully. However, the teams battled to a 1-1 draw in the last meeting earlier this season in Grambling, Louisiana on October 16. Prior to that, the two sides met in Vicksburg, Mississippi in August of this season, competing in a nonconference matchup at Sports Force Parks, with Grambling taking the victory by a 2-1 decision. The last victory for the Braves against the Tigers came back on Oct. 22, 2017, when Mireya Gonzalez and Rita Okoro each bagged goals to help gather the 2-0 shutout win.
 
PREVIOUSLY AGAINST GRAMBLING STATE
Second half goals for both teams from the penalty spot was enough to see Alcorn and Grambling State play to a 1-1 draw in SWAC Women's Soccer action Sunday afternoon at the GSU Soccer Complex. This was the second time the two teams have met this season, as Grambling collected a 2-1 win in a nonconference matchup back on August 21, at Sports Force Parks in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Alcorn looked the more dominant team in the opening 45 minutes. Emily Serrato and Jaidyn Matheu each forced Grambling goalkeeper Madison Covey-Taylor into action with both shots coming off Alcorn corner kicks in the 20th minute. However, it would be Grambling State supplying the game's first clear shot at goal in the 10th minute when Imogen Fowler fired a shot on-target before it was beaten away courtesy Alcorn starting goalkeeper Paula Argelaguet. Neither team really threatened the rest of the first half, despite ambitious shots falling off target from Fowler, along with Beatriz Kretteis and Karlyn Judge for the host Tigers. With the game scoreless at halftime, the second half started feverishly. Grambling defender Tanzanea Villacis was shown a yellow card after a reckless challenge inside the box, forcing the match referee to point to the penalty spot. It would be Serrato stepping up to convert the penalty and give the visiting Braves a 1-0 lead in the 48th minute. But an 84th-minute penalty awarded to the hosts allowed the Tigers a way back into the game. It was Fowler converting from the penalty spot and leveling the game at 1-1. Grambling appeared the likelier to get the win in the dying stages as Kretteis' shot off a Tigers corner kick was high over the bar in the 85th minute. Serrato finished the game with two shots (both on-target), including her penalty kick conversion. Matheu and freshman Samara Nunn each tallied shots on goal as well for the Purple and Gold. Argelaguet made one save in goal across her 90 minutes of play. Grambling used the services of Fowler with three shots (two on-target including her penalty kick goal). Covey-Taylor made three stops for the Tigers in goal.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE BRAVES
Alcorn kept a third successive clean sheet as the Braves drew away to Mississippi Valley State, 0-0 in a SWAC Women's Soccer game played at the Mississippi Valley Soccer Complex. Despite registering eight shots on-target in the game, Alcorn was unable to put the ball into the back of the net, thanks in part to Mississippi Valley State's McKenzie McCarthy in net for the Devilettes. The nation's top shot-stopper was in full force with eight saves on the day – where she averages just under 12 per game on the season. In reverse to that, Alcorn's Paula Argelaguet and Mikayla Shaughnessy were never bothered, with neither Braves goalkeeper forced to make a save as the Purple and Gold didn't allow a single shot on-goal in the 90-minute affair. Alcorn sophomore defender Natacia Ruiz recorded the Braves' first shot at goal in the game, forcing Mississippi Valley keeper McCarthy to stop the Desoto, Texas native's driving shot down and middle into her gloves. The visitors turned up the offensive intensity in the second half, seeing junior midfielder Emily Serrato's 47th-minute strike deflected away by McCarthy in net. A pair of Braves shots at goal in quick succession, each in the 51st minute, from Mikayla Duncan and Zea Anderson were punched aside, while Serrato and freshman Anderson had shots on-target in each of the 52nd and 56th minutes, respectively. Serrato would finish the day with two shots at goal (both coming in the second half). Anderson also had a pair of shots on-goal for the Purple and Gold. Sophomore Yaisa Reyes posted the Braves final attempt of the game to try and claim the last-minute winner, seeing her shot in the 90th minute sail just to the right of the post. Duncan finished the game with two shots for the Braves (both on-target), while Ruiz and redshirt junior defender Karrianne Rodriguez each tallied one shot at goal. For the hosts, Juliette Charriez had two shots in the game, and teammate Olujede Bridgewater had one for Mississippi Valley. Defensively for the Braves, allowing zero (0) shots on target for the game is the first of its kind during the 2022 campaign, while the three consecutive games with a clean sheet is the first of its kind since collecting four on the bounce in 2011.
 
UNBEATEN STREAK
Alcorn enters the tournament amid a school-record six-match unbeaten run, including three wins and three draws dating back to a 4-2 victory at home to Prairie View A&M on October 9. The Braves have also recorded clean sheets in each of their last here games – which also approaches matching a school-record in that department. The longest run of clean sheets for the Purple and Gold dates back to 2011 under former head coach Christie Chambers when the Braves held four consecutive teams goalless in the form of Delta State, Millsaps, Alabama State and Alabama A&M, respectively.
 
AT THE SWAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Alcorn will be looking to make further history when the Braves battle Grambling State in the opening round of the SWAC Championships. Throughout the history of the event, the Braves have yet to amass a victory. The only meeting with Grambling in the SWAC Championships occurred back in 2009, when the Tigers claimed an 11-0 win over the Purple and Gold in the opening round. The closest the Braves have come to advancing past the opening round was in 2011 – the year Southern won 4-2 on penalty kicks after a goalless draw between the sides at full-time. The last two appearances in the SWAC Championships for the Braves were early exits to Alabama State in 2019 and spring 2021, respectfully.
 
UP NEXT
If Alcorn is successful in advancing past Grambling State, the Braves would take on the winner of No. 3 Southern and No. 6 Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Friday, Nov. 4, at 6 p.m.
 
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