LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University women's soccer team will open Atlantic Sun Conference play this week by tussling with the Tennessee teams.

Bellarmine (1-5-1) will welcome Austin Peay (2-3-2) to Owsley B. Frazier Stadium for a 7 p.m. (ET) contest Thursday before heading to the Volunteer State for a 2 p.m. showdown Sunday at Lipscomb (4-2-1).

ABOUT AUSTIN PEAY
Austin Peay opened the season with a pair of wins at over Western Kentucky, 2-1, and Chattanooga, 1-0, but the Governors are 0-3-2 since then. They most recently played to a scoreless draw at home against Southern Indiana, although that was their first time being shut out. Alec Baumgardt is the team leader in goals with three.

ABOUT LIPSCOMB
Lipscomb is the ASUN's reigning regular-season champion and was picked second in the preseason coaches' poll behind 2023 ASUN Tournament champion FGCU. Ahead of their matchup with Bellarmine, the Bisons will play Thursday at Eastern Kentucky. Lipscomb has won three of its last four games, including Sunday's 4-1 road romp at Ole Miss that followed a 3-0 home handling of Coastal Carolina. Kiara Pralle is the ASUN leaders in goals scored with six.

LAST TIME OUT
Bellarmine is looking to pick itself up and embrace the fresh start that ASUN play brings after falling 1-0 and 2-1 at former GLVC rivals Northern Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Senior forward/midfielder Emma Nicholson scored the Knights' goal against USI and ranks second in the ASUN with five. Bellarmine led 1-0 at halftime, but the Screaming Eagles scored a pair of goals roughly two minutes apart in the early portion of the second half. The Knights had edges of 10-9 in total shots and 5-4 on frame.

BETTER IN THE O.B.
Bellarmine will have the benefit of opening conference play at home, where the Knights are 1-1-1 in Frazier Stadium this season behind a trio of strong performances. They defeated Asbury 8-0, outshot Morehead State 16-11 with three of those attempts deflecting off the pipes in a hard-luck 1-0 loss and had a 1-1 draw against then-4-1 Indiana State.

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