Soccer opens up SWAC schedule vs. Grambling

 
At the start of the season, league head coaches and sports information directors voted Southern University soccer the fourth best soccer team to win the West Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
A year ago, the team placed third and loss 1-0 to Arkansas Pine-Bluff in the semifinal-round of the conference tournament.
The women’s soccer team is excited to begin its conference schedule, starting with in-state rival Grambling (0-4, 0-0), slated as least favorite to win the West.
“I know they can be very competitive,” head coach John Knighten said, entering his sixth season. “They’re going to bring the game to us, but I know we’re prepared for them.”
The Jaguars won last year’s meet in overtime 3-2, leaving Grambling defeated at home in their season finale. The Tigers went 1-17 last season, defeating Alabama State, who finished fourth in the East standings.
After a rough start to its non-conference schedule, the Jaguars feel confident about their chances Friday when they welcome the Tigers into A.W. Mumford Stadium.
“They’re definitely buying into what we’re selling as a program,” assistant coach Courtnie Prather said. “Every game has been about progress.”
So far, the Jaguars are 0-4, with losses to Lamar, Nicholls State, UL-Lafayette, and UL-Monroe, who defeated SU 2-1 September 14.
Prather said the team did a good job limiting its mistakes against the ULM Warhawks, after suffering a 3-0 loss in Monroe last year.
“I always try to look for the positives and stress to them to keep their eyes on the positives,” Prather said.
Prather added that Friday’s anticipated win was a goal set by the team since the start of the season.
For the Jaguars opponent, their schedule is identical to last year’s, which opened with consecutive losses before its first conference game that ended in a 1-2 loss against the 2011 SWAC champions Arkansas Pine-Bluff, who defeated SU in the semifinal round 1-0.
“I feel if we go out and execute the way they should then we should be successful,” Knighten said.
Last year the Jaguars started 4-1 in SWAC, with an early West win over Prairie View A&M 2-1 and road wins over Alabama State and Alabama A&M.
“This is a big weekend for us because these two games are in the West,” Knighten said. “At the end of October, we have Texas Southern and Prairie View. This weekend, we want to be in a leading position.”
Knighten said that the Jaguars would accept one loss if possible, but seeks to win both to be in prime position to take on Texas Southern on October 28.
“That would put us in the drivers seat for October 28^th,” said Knighten.