HOUSTON – HBU women's soccer kicks off the 2019 regular season on Thursday evening when the Huskies host Prairie View A&M at Sorrels Field with a 7:00 p.m. start time.
The Huskies have won the last three meetings with the Lady Panthers, most recently earning a 3-0 victory in Prairie View, Texas last season. HBU holds a 6-1-0 record all-time against the Panthers.
Last season, HBU finished with a 10-8-1 overall record and a program-best 25 points in the Southland Conference standings, good for second place, thanks to an 8-2-1 mark in SLC play. Prairie View A&M finished the 2018 season with a 7-10-2 overall record while going 5-3-2 in the SWAC.
HBU returns six starters from last year's team and 12 letterwinners. Among those returners is first team preseason all-conference selection
Megan Rickert, a junior defender who has twice earned honorable mention all-SLC laurels. Other returners for the Huskies are juniors
Jessica Nevils and
Avery Cortez, who both scored three goals last season, along with sophomores
Talin Rizo and
Catalina Elwonger who each netted a pair of goals as freshmen. Also returning are a trio of starters from last season in senior
Whitney Johnson, junior
Kaimyn Beal and sophomore
Bryce Reynolds who combined to play more than 4,500 minutes last season.
The Lady Panthers return eight starters from last year's squad, including second-leading scorer Jojo Bernal. Bernal netted five goals as a sophomore and is a preseason first team all-SWAC selection. Sophomore Quinn Josiah returns after playing every minute in goal last season, recording seven shutouts with a .831 save percentage.
HBU will have more than a week between matches with a visit to North Texas scheduled for Friday, Aug. 30, in Denton, Texas with a 7:00 p.m. kickoff. From there, the Huskies will travel to San Marcos, Texas for a matchup with Texas State on Sunday, Sep. 1 at 7:00 p.m.
