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BEAUMONT, Texas – Since joining the Southland Conference in 2013, the HBU women's soccer program has won the conference tournament every other year and the Huskies begin their quest to continue that trend on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. against Stephen F. Austin at the LU Soccer Complex.
 
The Huskies (10-7-1, 8-2-1 SLC) closed out the regular season with three-straight road games, posting a 2-1-0 record in those three matches to lock up the No. 2 seed in the tournament. In the season finale, senior Gabby Rodriguez returned to the pitch after missing three games to score the game-winner in a 1-0 Husky victory at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
 
For the season, the Huskies were led offensively by a trio of seniors. Sabriah Spencer finished with five goals and five assists with three of the goals and all of the assists coming in SLC play. Rodriguez, in just 13 games, added four goals and three assists while Autumn Wilding ended the season with two goals and four assists. Defensively, senior Baylii Bieke and freshman Bryce Reynolds have anchored the back line by not coming off the field at any point during a game. Bieke has a goal and four assists while Reynolds was credited with three assists. Senior Alanis Guevara has played every second in goal, becoming the program's all-time leader in wins, saves and shutouts.
 
When the Huskies and Ladyjacks (5-8-3, 3-5-3 SLC) met near the beginning of the conference season, it was all HBU in a 3-0 win at Sorrels Field. The Huskies got goals from sophomore Jessica Nevils, freshman Talin Rizo and Rodriguez with Spencer credited with a pair of assists. Guevara made three saves in earning the shutout. HBU is 4-7-0 all-time against SFA, including a 2-0-0 mark against the Ladyjacks in the SLC tournament.
 
SFA qualified for the tournament on the last day of the regular season thanks to a decisive 5-0 win over rival Sam Houston State. The Ladyjacks scored four first half goals while allowing SHSU to attempt just four shots en route to the win. Sophomore Sophia Fondren has led the SFA attack this year with four goals and a pair of assists for 10 points. As a team, the Ladyjacks have been out-scored 26-to-15 this season while getting shutout on eight occasions.
 
Since joining the SLC in 2013, HBU has won the tournament in each even-numbered year to earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
The Huskies will play the third match of the day on Halloween with round two scheduled for Friday, Nov. 2. If HBU advances, the Huskies will play the winner of the late game Wednesday between host No. 3 Lamar and No. 6 Southeastern Louisiana on Friday at 7:00 p.m. The championship game is slated for Sunday, Nov. 4, at 1:05 p.m.