LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University women's soccer team is set to embark on its final Atlantic Sun Conference road swing of the regular season as the Knights will travel to Central Arkansas for an 8 p.m. (ET) contest Thursday before heading to North Alabama for a 2 p.m. (ET) matchup Sunday.

The ASUN implemented intra-divisional play only in a home-and-home format this season. Bellarmine (8-4-2, 2-4 ASUN) will be taking on Central Arkansas (4-8-2, 1-4-2) and North Alabama (7-4-4, 3-2-2) for the second time each.

ABOUT CENTRAL ARKANSAS
This is a critical match for both Bellarmine and Central Arkansas. Four of the six teams from each division will qualify for the ASUN Tournament. In the Gold Division, Lipscomb (19 pts) has already secured a bid while EKU (13 pts) and North Alabama (11 pts) are comfortably in second and third in the standings. The Knights (fourth, 6 pts) and Bears (fifth, 5 pts) are currently fighting for fourth and are followed by Austin Peay (sixth, 2 pts). UCA captured the first matchup between the two squads, 3-1, in Louisville on Sept. 28. The Bears also collected 1 point each with a pair of ties against Austin Peay. Trace Pavatt and Caroline Billings have recorded five goals apiece.

ABOUT NORTH ALABAMA
In the first meeting Sept. 25 in Louisville, Bellarmine edged North Alabama 1-0 on sophomore forward McKenzie Carle's goal with less than two minutes remaining. In their three ASUN wins, the Lions swept Austin Peay by scores of 2-1 in both games and defeated Central Arkansas 1-0. Most impressive perhaps was a 1-1 draw against division leader Lipscomb (6-0-1 ASUN), which represents the Bisons' only non-win in league play. Alice Bussey has tallied four goals for the Lions, who will host Eastern Kentucky on Thursday ahead of their clash with the Knights.

KNIGHTS NOTES
• Bellarmine is 5-2 on the road this season. The Knights began the year 5-0 away from Frazier Stadium but fell 2-0 to Lipscomb and 5-1 to Eastern Kentucky in their two most recent road games. The five road wins is a D1-era record.
• Bellarmine played Eastern Kentucky in consecutive games. The Knights nearly pulled off an incredible turnaround, recovering from the 5-1 loss to the Colonels to lead 1-0 for the vast majority of last Sunday's rematch at Frazier Stadium before EKU scored twice inside the last 13 minutes to rally for a 2-1 win.
• McKenzie Carle is tied for third in the ASUN in goals (eight), is third in total shots (48), is fifth in points (19) and is tied for fifth in shots on goal (18). The sophomore forward has accounted for three of Bellarmine's four goals over the last five games. She is the reigning ASUN Freshman of the Year and is already the program's D1-era leader in career goals (14).
• Carle and redshirt senior defender Sidney Rigsby were both Preseason All-ASUN Team selections. Rigsby, a center back, scored BU's goal in its first game against EKU this season, and she has three on the season.
• Lucy von Stefenelli ranks fourth in the ASUN in total shots (46) and shots on goal (21). The senior forward is tied for fourth in the conference in game-winning goals (three) and her five total goals are tied for ninth.
• Nine of Bellarmine's top 12 in minutes played are freshmen and sophomores, including five of the six who have broken 1,000 minutes. The veteran Rigsby is the leader with 1,215, but she is followed by sophomore midfielder Brynn Severance (1,200), freshman defender Abigail Fike (1,172), redshirt freshman goalkeeper Anna Jenkins (1,170), sophomore midfielder Aubrey Bally (1,081) and redshirt sophomore defender Cameron Dye (1,033).

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