LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A formidable conference challenge awaits the Bellarmine University women's soccer team as the Knights will square off with reigning ASUN Tournament and regular-season champion Lipscomb at 2 p.m. (ET) Sunday in Nashville.

Lipscomb (7-4-1, 4-0 ASUN), which owns a 2-0-1 record against Bellarmine (0-3-8, 0-0-4) in the Division-I era, was predicted to repeat as ASUN champion as the Bisons earned the top spot in the preseason coaches' poll after garnering 12 of a possible 13 first-place votes.

With 12 points amassed in ASUN play, Lipscomb is second only to Liberty (13 points, 4-0-1) despite one less game played than the Flames. The Bisons are the only ASUN squad with a perfect winning percentage in conference play, with the most recent victory a 2-0 home triumph over Eastern Kentucky.

Lipscomb's Shelby Craft and CJ Graham are the reigning ASUN Defensive Player and Goalkeeper of the Year, respectively, and both were the preseason picks to earn those respective awards again. Craft is among four Bisons with at least three goals — she and Kale'a Perry have both netted four while Kelli Beiler leads the charge with six.

The contest will pit the ASUN's top-scoring unit in Lipscomb (2.08 goals per game) against the league's top-rated defense in Bellarmine (0.55 goals-against average). In addition to GAA, the Knights' goal-stopping corps tops the ASUN in fewest goals allowed (six) and ranks third in shutouts (six). Bellarmine has recorded three clean sheets in a row and four in the last five matches.

Elyssa Francis has continued her chase of the program record for shutouts. The senior goalkeeper is up to 32 for her career, which is three shy of tying the all-time mark.

Although Bellarmine is still seeking its first ASUN win, all four conference games have been productive for the Knights in the league standings. Bellarmine's four ties have equated to four points, which places them tied for seventh in the 14-team conference.

Bellarmine's team defense is helping the Knights stay afloat as they've dealt with a rash of injuries to their attack. It's gotten to the point where Bellarmine was forced to take emergency measures in the utilization of senior Zenia Nava, who this season had transitioned full time to outside back and played extensively at the position but recently has needed to shift back to forward to aid the significant losses up front.

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