SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The Augustana women's soccer team kicks its season off this weekend on the road. The team heads to Kansas to take on Fort Hays State on Friday, followed by Washburn on Sunday. The matchup between the Vikings and Fort Hays State will be at 6 p.m. On Sunday, the team moves to Topeka to take on the Washburn Ichabods at 1 p.m.
Action can be followed at GoAugie.com/Live or on the GoAugie app found in the app store.
The Games
The Vikings are back on the road after a duo of scrimmages in Missouri last weekend. The team is looking to push momentum into the regular-season matchups. Augustana and Fort Hays State begin the regular season together with it being their first contest for the year. Washburn begins its season at home against William Jewell College with Augustana being the second game of the season.
The Tigers
Fort Hays State enters the matchup with two preseason wins under its belt. The team defeated Kansas Wesleyan to start the 2021 season. The Tigers had an impressive win against Northwestern Oklahoma State, defeating them with a score of nine goals to none. Fort Hays State played a shortened season in Spring 2021 and their overall record in the Spring was 5-4-1.
Though the team did play in the Spring, the MIAA decided that the outcomes of the games would not count towards a team's historical record.
The Ichabods
Washburn did not have any preseason games on the schedule for the 2021 season. The team returns to regular season play after a shortened season in Spring 2021. Its record for the Spring was 3-6-1 overall. The team was selected ninth in the MIAA soccer preseason coaches poll for this upcoming season.
The Vikings
Augustana begins their regular season after three preseason matchups on the road. Its record is 1-0-1 all-time against Fort Hays State and 1-1-0 all-time against Washburn. The Vikings were tabbed to finish second in the NSIC Preseason Coaches poll.
During the 2019 season, the Vikings made their third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Also during that season, the team had the second-highest winningest team in the program's history. Coming off of one of their best seasons, the Vikings had a 21-month hiatus due to the 2020 season being canceled. Three all-conference players are returning to the squad: Alexis Legg, Sylvia Fehr, and Morgan Keirstead.
The Vikings also grew their roster during the off-season, adding 10 newcomers to the team. Twenty-five players are returning to action from the 2019 season.
Seniors Alexis Legg and Bailey Parsons were named the Vikings Player to Watch. Both Legg and Parsons played in all 22 games of the 2019 season. Legg was also selected as AU's offensive player to watch this season.
The Vikings were tabbed to finish second in the NSIC Preseason Coaches poll. They received two votes for first place. Fort Hays State was selected to finish fifth in the MIAA preseason poll and Washburn was selected to finish ninth in the MIAA poll, respectively.
--GoAugie.com--
