Nov. 16, 2006

ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons' women's soccer team is looking to make school history this weekend at the sectional round of the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship in Wheaton, Ill.

The Cowgirls have twice advanced to the NCAA Sectionals, but lost in the round of 16 both times. HSU is looking to advance to its first Final Four with a pair of wins. HSU opens the sectional with UC-Santa Cruz at 5 p.m. on Friday at Wheaton College.

A win would be the furthest the Cowgirls have finished and would pit them against the winner of the Wheaton/Wisconsin-Eau Claire game for the right to go to the Final Four. That game will be played at 6 p.m. Saturday.

"We proved last weekend we are right there with the top teams in the country," said Marcus Wood. "We have to prove it again this weekend. We think we have a special group of players and they are really focused on one game at a time."

HSU (18-0-4) is the top scoring team in the nation and are led by senior forward Whitney Piendak, who has 30 goals and 11 assists. Freshman Amy Kuykendall leads the nation in assists with 22 and has also scored 26 goals. HSU has five players that have scored double digits in goals this season. The Banana Slugs (17-0-3) have allowed only three goals on the year.

The Cowgirls also have a talented defense that has allowed just 13 goals. Freshman goalkeeper Christi Carr is one of the top keepers in the country with a 0.57 goals against average.