FLORENCE, Ala. (September 18, 2024) – The University of North Alabama soccer team will host a history-making matchup as part of its first ASUN matchup of the year, as the Lions welcome West Georgia to Florence, Ala. on Thursday, Sept. 19. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Florence Sportsplex. 
 
This will be the 17th all-time meeting between the two programs dating back to their Gulf South Conference days as members of NCAA Division II. This will mark the first-ever ASUN contest for West Georgia in any sport.
 
Fans can follow along through live stats which will be available at RoarLions.com via StatBroadcast. Fans can also watch the broadcast on ESPN+ with the 'Voice of the Lions' Benjamin Ray and Amy Butler Bailey on the call. 
 
MATCHUP
North Alabama vs. West Georgia
Thursday, September 19
7 p.m.
Florence, Ala. – Florence Sportsplex
1 Sportsplex Drive Florence, AL 35633
 
LIVE STATS |ESPN+| GAME NOTES
 
NOTES
 
SERIES HISTORY: The University of North Alabama (2-4) has met the West Georgia Wolves (1-5) in soccer 16 times before. Their last matchup came in 2017 where the Lions found a win, 2-1, in their final season of the GSC and before the transition to Division I. UNA is 10-4-2 all-time against UWG. The Lions won the first all-time meeting in 2004 by a 3-1 final.
 
ABOUT LAST GAME: The Lions played their second match of the season at home against the Belmont Bruins, Sunday Sept. 8 where Belmont won 1-0. Despite the loss, the statistics popped off the page in the Lions' favor with 15 shots and seven corner kicks. North Alabama shot seven times before Belmont shot for the first time, which was the lone goal and score of the game. All seven shots came before the 27th minute. This marks UNA's first loss this season when putting up 10 or more shots with five or more shots on goal. The 15 shots and seven corner kicks for North Alabama are both good enough for team-highs in the 2024 season. This was the third straight season UNA and Belmont squared off.

CANCELATION WOES: The Lions have not played a game in 11 straight days leading up to conference play. To close out the non-conference portion of the season, UNA had scheduled matchups with Alabama State and Alcorn State, which were both slated to be on the road. Alabama State was canceled due to inclement weather on Friday, Sept. 13. The Alcorn State matchup was canceled as the team has not played any non-conference games this season. The Lions' last game was against Belmont at home. 
SCOUTING THE WOLVES: The Wolves travel to Florence after a 3-0 loss to the College of Charleston. UWG has played one home game this season barring an exhibition game and through their travels, Alabama has become a second home for the Wolves. Including the exhibition game against Troy, the Wolves will play in the state a total of five times after concluding its match with UNA. They have played Troy, Jacksonville State, Alabama A&M, Alabama State and will conclude at North Alabama. Those opponents have outscored the Wolves 5-4 in their matchups with the lone win coming against Alabama State.

WELCOME TO THE ASUN: The University of West Georgia makes their way into Division I and into the ASUN in 2024. This is the first-ever ASUN matchup for the Wolves in any sport, declaring their start of conference play. The Wolves have 13 sports, and like UNA their football team competes in the United Athletic Conference, which is a merger between the ASUN and WAC conferences. The Lions and Wolves date all the way back to Division II where they were heavy competitors. The first matchup came in 2004 under then-head coach Graham Winkworth where the Lions won 3-1. 
 
THE DIVISION I CLIMB: The Wolves competed in the GSC all the way until this previous season where they fell in the tournament to Lee by a score of 2-0. UWG is making the trek through the Division I transition as UNA once started and completed.  In their final season of GSC play, UWG finished with a 6-7-4 record and a 6-5-2 conference record. The Wolves already have one win over a non-conference Division I opponent this season, which they did not have last year. 
 
COUNTDOWN IS ON: Walker is on the way to eclipsing the century mark for his career in wins. Since he has been at UNA, he has accomplished a 96-86-23 overall record in his 12 years and is four wins shy of his 100th career win. He is 15 away from tying former Lion head coach Graham Winkworth's all-time record of 111 wins. 
 
NEXT GAME: It is all ASUN Conference play from here on out. The Lions travel to Charlotte, N.C. to play Queens on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. at the Queens Sports Complex. This is the second ASUN matchup for the Lions with the first on the road and the first of three consecutive games away from home. 

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