LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University women's soccer team will face Austin Peay State for the first time ever as the Knights will travel to Clarksville, Tennessee, for a 7 p.m. (ET) contest Thursday in ASUN action.

Austin Peay (3-5-3, 1-2 ASUN) is in its inaugural season in the ASUN, while Bellarmine (0-3-7, 0-0-3) is in its third year in the league. The Governors earned their first-ever ASUN win Sunday with a 3-1 road victory over North Alabama.

Austin Peay opened conference play with a 2-1 home loss to Lipscomb and a 1-0 road setback at Central Arkansas. With three points apiece in league action, the Governors and Knights are among four squads tied for ninth in the 14-team ASUN.

Anna McPhie and Alec Baumgardt have netted two goals apiece for Austin Peay. Chloé Dion has played every minute in goal, notching four shutouts, a 1.09 goals-against average and a .760 save percentage.

Austin Peay represents the first ASUN road challenge for Bellarmine, which is coming off a scoreless tie against Eastern Kentucky, its third straight draw to open ASUN play, its fourth consecutive draw overall and its seventh stalemate of the season. The Knights lead the nation in ties over the last two seasons, accumulating 15 in 29 matches.

Bellarmine's goal production and goal stopping have been on opposite ends of the spectrum. While the Knights are last in the ASUN in goals scored (three), they rank first in the league in goals against (six) and goals-against average (0.60).

Bellarmine's defense has recorded shutouts in three of the last four matches and boasts five clean sheets overall this season. The Knights have not allowed more than one goal in a game since the season opener against Wright State, which scored twice.

Elyssa Francis leads the ASUN in GAA (0.39) and save percentage (.897). The senior goalkeeper has registered 31 career shutouts, which is four away from tying the program record of Amy Kunowski.

Senior Sarah Kraus has yet to be subbed in for this season, while fellow center back Sidney Rigsby, a redshirt freshman, and senior back Zenia Nava have also reached at least 830 minutes for the ASUN's top-ranked defensive unit.

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