GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) women's soccer team will begin its The Southern Conference (SoCon) action on Thursday against VMI on Patchin Field starting at 4:00 p.m. This will be both team's opening SoCon matchup.
 

 
SERIES HISTORY
UNCG holds the edge in the overall series, 10-1. The Spartans took the contest last year on Oct. 22 in Greensboro, 5-1, and have won the last eight games against the Keydets.
 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE SPARTANS
UNCG and then-ranked No. 24 Liberty played to a 0-0 draw on Sunday in Greensboro. In net, Emma Malone had three saves, while the Lady Flames had two. Liberty outshot UNCG, 16-9. UNCG was the first team on Liberty's schedule this far to keep them scoreless for all 90 minutes. According to UNCG records, this was the first result for the Spartans against a top-25 team since UNCG defeated No. 7 Wake Forest on Aug. 24, 2012, 1-0, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
 
ABOUT THE SPARTANS

• Taylor Mentzer currently leads the Spartans with two goals scored this season.
• Kiss is second on the team with three points (1 G, 1 A) and Brubaker is third on the team with one goal.
• Ryen Ortiz and Mairead Gayer have chipped in one assist each this season.
• The Spartans have outmatched opponents in saves this season, 28-22, while foes hold the edge in corner kicks, 37-25.
• Among the SoCon, UNCG is third with 1.125 goals against average.
• Malone was named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 3. This was her first career weekly award.
• This was the Spartans' first SoCon Player of the Week since Oct. 28, 2022, when Nadia Wilson earned the award and first SoCon Defensive Player of the Week since Sept. 27, 2022, when Abby Buchholz earned the recognition.
• Head Coach Stefani Workman is in her first year at the helm of the Spartans and eighth year overall with the Blue & Gold.
• The Spartans were voted to finish seventh in the 2024 SoCon Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• The Spartans added six freshmen and one graduate transfer to the 2024 roster.

SCOUTING VMI

• VMI was voted to finish 10^th in the 2024 SoCon Preseason Coaches Poll.
• VMI is coming off a 2-1 victory over Gardner-Webb on Sunday where Cameron Jones and Barrett Callejo scored for the Keydets.
• VMI's three shutouts this season match its total from 2021.
• Riley Boucher is leading the team with four goals and eight points, while Callejo is second with two goals and four points.
• Cadee Hegarty paces the Keydets with three assists this season.
• Whitney Tracy has played in all eight games for VMI in net, giving up 11 goals for 1.40 goals against average and totaling 36 saves.
• Tracy was named SoCon Defensive Player of the week on Aug. 20. 

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UP NEXT
The Spartans return home to host SoCon foe ETSU on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1:00 p.m. at the UNCG Soccer Stadium.

All regular season home games are free admission. The first 100 kids (ages 12 and under) will receive a free t-shirt! There will be a donation drive for Beyond Sports at the game. Click here to see what Beyond Sports' equipment needs are.

There will also be a buy one get one free hot dog promotion!