In their best start since 2023, the Wildcats have began the season 3-3, with defense leading the way for Head Coach Stephen Salas’ team.
Through four games, the team has allowed four goals, including losses to New Mexico State, Oral Roberts University, and East Texas A&M University.
The team’s standout defense in the games against Tulsa and Houston Christian University led to McCarly Holloman, senior defender from Midland, being selected as Western Athletic Conference player of the week.
In the two home wins, Holloman was a part of the back line that held both opponents to zero goals.
“I would definitely say we’re a defensive-minded team, but we have a great back line who all work really well together,” Holloman said. “And we all are super good at “one-v-one” defending and winning challenges and tackles.”
The win against Tulsa was substantial for the team, as it marked the program’s first victory over Tulsa.
Despite the strong start at home so far this season, the team has struggled on the road, posting a 1-3 record. The last two games for the Wildcats on the road were losses to ORU and East Texas A&M.
With the next four out of five games on the road, the Wildcats will need to figure out how to win away from home to keep the early-season momentum going.
“It’s going to prepare us for WAC play of being battle-tested on the road, and there’s times that we need to either one, go on the road for multiple games and then also, two, for conference championships,” Salas said.
ACU has three games remaining before beginning WAC play, including games against University of North Texas, Northwestern State and Baylor University.
Two of the three games will be against a Group of Five school, UNT, and a Power Four school, Baylor. The Wildcats have won against both types of opponents in the fall and spring, with wins against Tulsa and SMU.
The next game for the Wildcats will be at UNT on Thursday at 7 p.m. Last season, when the Wildcats faced UNT, they tied them at Elmer Gray Stadium.
“They’re a talented team, have had a lot of success, but I mean just where we’re at, we’re going to toe to toe with everyone,” Salas said. “We feel really good with our back line and finding the back of the net. We’re gonna go out there and compete and really give it our all.”
