PENSACOLA, Fla. --- The University of West Florida women's soccer team prepares for their opener against top-10 opponent, Flagler, on Friday, Sept. 8 at 1 p.m. This matchup will be the second meeting of the programs since 2008. The Argos will follow up with a Sunday game (Sept. 10) against Lynn at 12:30 p.m. All games will be played at Ashton Brosnaham Stadium.
 
The Argos are coming off a 2-0 weekend sweep over Eckerd (Sept. 1) and Florida Southern (Sept. 3). Manami Okada recorded three goals over the weekend and is the second leading scorer in the conference.
 
The team allowed just two goals and goalkeeper Maciah Lipsey tallied four saves to earn two wins.
 
Six additional Argonauts have racked up points and the team totals 15 while holding their opponents to five.
 
UWF has outshot their opponents 27-9 and averages 13.5 shots per game. The Argos are sitting at a .556 shot on goal percentage.
 
Argos in the Poll
Despite being undefeated, the Argos dropped four spots and sit at #9 in the United Soccer Coaches national rankings. They are one of two GSC teams in the top-25.
 
About Flagler Saints
The Saints are 2-0 after defeating Limestone and Anderson in opening weekend. The Saints totaled seven goals and have allowed one goal.
 
Flagler is a historically top program in Division II and the Argos will be tested early in the season. The Saints were ranked #15 in the preseason poll but quickly climbed up five spots after their two wins.
 
The team is led by the freshman forward, Paige Churchill. She tallied two goals and three assists over Limestone and Anderson. She leads the team with 11 shots – four have reached target.
 
Andrea Fernandez and Moa Arlebo were named Preseason All-PBC Team. Fernandez, the junior out of Spain, has quite the resume. In 2022, she was named a USC and D2CCA All-American, D2CCA Southeast Region Player of the Year, and Conference Player of the Year. Fernandez finished with 20 goals and eight assists on 86 shots.
 
Both preseason selections have fired a goal this season with Fernandez adding an assist to her name.
 
Goalkeeper Henley Grunst was named Goalkeeper of the Week for the Peach Belt Conference. Grunst recorded a combined 11 saves in the first two matches of the season. Grunst is second in the PBC in saves per game (5.5) and is fourth in the league in goals-against average (0.50).
 
Argo vs. Saint History
#9 Argos and #10 Saints will go head-to-head for the first time in 15 years. The one and only matchup came in 2008 with UWF taking a 6-0 win on the road.
 
The 2008 UWF team went 24-1-1 and powered on to the NCAA Championship but fell short in double overtime.
 
About Lynn Fighting Knights
Such as UWF and Flagler, Lynn has a similar 2-0 record. Last weekend, they took 1-0 wins over Saint Anselm and Thomas More.
 
Forwards K'la Barnes-Blackwood and Gabriella Lecuona earned the game-winning goals. Barnes leads the team with seven shots and four shots on goal.
 
Brooke Auth, a freshman out of Colorado, has made two consecutive starts in the net and totals 180 minutes played. In her two shutout matches, Auth has made eight saves.
 
Argo vs. Fighting Knight History
Sunday's game with be the eighth battle of the programs. From 2000 to 2017, the Argos hold a 6-1 record over the Fighting Knights. UWF averages 3.43 goals a game for a total of 24 goals scored.
 
Lynn has scored 10 goals in seven games against the Argos, which includes a seven-goal win that occurred in 2000.
 
It has been since 2010 that the teams have played at UWF's home field and since 2017 that the teams have faced each other.