Preview: ULM Soccer goes to Southern for Sunday’s game

START –

The ULM football team will play on the road for the first time this season, taking on Southern University in Baton Rouge on Sunday morning. The Warhawks will look to continue their winning streak, as they dominated the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions 9-0 in Monroe on Thursday night.

SERIES HISTORY –

ULM and Southern will meet on the field for the first time since 2022. ULM won 2-1 in Baton Rouge. The Jaguars' lone win in the series was a 6-1 result on September 12, 2021 in Baton Rouge. The first meeting was a 6-1 victory by the Warhawks in Monroe on September 5, 2006. ULM has allowed just one goal in all 11 meetings.

SUNDAY MORNING FOOTBALL –

The game in Baton Rouge was originally scheduled for 1 p.m., but the August heat and humidity in Louisiana have prompted a change of schedule to 10:30 a.m. Sunday. This is not the Warhawks' first experience with morning football due to the heat. When ULM traveled to Huntsville, Texas, to face Sam Houston last season, the game was moved to 11 a.m. due to the heat. Temperatures in Baton Rouge are expected to reach 90 degrees at the time of kickoff, with the heat index at around 109 degrees.

LAST TIME –

MONROE, Louisiana – The ULM women's soccer team (1-0) dominated the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions (0-1) 9-0 on Thursday night to start the 2024 season with a bang. The opening game of the 2024 season is the first in program history in terms of the number of goals scored in a single game.

Sarah Navarro scored her first two goals of the season, assisted by Vanessa Praher And Skylar Blaise. Mara Grutkamp She also scored two goals, the second multi-goal game of her career. Julia Franco recorded her first assist as a Warhawk on Grutkamp’s first goal of the night.

Kai Douglas made her mark in her Warhawks debut with a goal that made it 4-0. Blaise was her second assist of the night. The senior scored her fifth career goal just minutes later, Franco was her second assist of the night. Bernadette Stefanher first. Then it was Franco's turn as goalkeeper and she scored her first career goal. Ally Richardson also scored a goal, becoming the sixth Warhawk of the evening to score a goal. Jaden Masters was involved in the goal, the assist came from Junior Sophia Youngman.

ULM outscored Arkansas-Pine Bluff 52-0 and 29-0 in goal. Grutkamp led the team with seven shots, five on goal, followed by Jensyn Lins with 6 shots, three on goal.

VOTE FOR THIRD PLACE –

The Warhawks started the preseason strong, being ranked No. 3 in the Sun Belt preseason coaches poll with 138 votes. This is the highest ranking ULM Soccer has achieved in the SBC preseason poll since joining the conference in 2006.

Scouting out the enemy –

Southern will look to rebound in its home opener on Sunday. The Jaguars lost their first game of the season, 4-0, to Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi, on Thursday night. Southern is expected to finish third in the SWAC, as they boast three All-SWAC First Team members and last season's top goalie, Sydney Bellamy.

FOLLOW THE WARHAWKS –

Streaming of Sunday’s game is possible by purchasing access through the Jaguar Sports Network.

Looking ahead –

The Warhawks return to Monroe for three home games against Grambling, Nicholls and McNeese on Aug. 22, 25 and 29. Grambling and ULM face off on Thursday at 7 p.m.