FLORENCE, Ala. -- In its first season of NCAA Division I competition, the University of North Alabama women's soccer team has faced a formidable schedule and responded with a 7-4 record to rank 157th of 335 Division I women's soccer programs in the rating percentage index (RPI).

The RPI, is a quantity used to rank sports teams based upon a team's wins and losses and its strength of schedule.

North Alabama has wins this season over Alabama State, Alabama A&M, Jackson State, Tennessee Tech, Jacksonville State, Troy and Kennesaw State. The Lions losses have come to 25th ranked Vanderbilt, Abilene Christian, UAB and Chattanooga.

Of the 335 teams competing in NCAA Division I women's soccer, North Alabama is one of just 59 schools that have seven or more wins.  

With that remarkable start, the Lions will face one of the biggest challenges on its 2018 schedule Friday when UNA travel to Fort Myers, Fla., to take on unbeaten Florida Gulf Coast. FGCU is the four-time defending ASUN women's soccer champion, has an 8-0-2 record and already has wins over Alabama, Michigan and Ohio State this season.  

Florida Gulf Coast and North Alabama are the top two scoring teams in the ASUN. The Eagles have 30 goals this season, while the Lions have 24. On the defensive side, FGCU has allowed only five goals all season for a 0.57 goals against average. UNA is at 1.36 with just 15 goals allowed in 11 matches.

FGCU's Evdokia Popadinova leads the ASUN in scoring with eight goals, while UNA's Shelby Wall (6)and Kylie Huey (5) rank fourth and fifth respectively.

The match is set for 6 p.m. Central at the FGCU Soccer Complex