CARROLLTON, Ga.- The University of West Georgia women's soccer team (0-5-2) is back in the City of Dreams Thursday night as the Wolves welcome North Alabama (3-1-3) to University Soccer Field for the Wolves' first United Athletic Conference match in program history. 

West Georgia enters conference play after battling Kennesaw State to a 1-1 draw at Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium. Rachel Higgins gave the Wolves an early advantage when Isa Ramirez sent a corner kick into the box that the Owls defense was unable to clear, allowing Higgins to find the back of the net for her third career goal and first of the season. 

Kennesaw State responded with 11 shots, including seven on target, but Emily Sanabria stopped all seven attempts to preserve the Wolves' 1-0 halftime advantage. The junior goalkeeper finished the night with 11 saves, marking her third double-digit save performance of the season.Kennesaw State eventually found the equalizer with just 1:48 remaining, but the Wolves held on for the 1-1 draw. 

North Alabama enters the match as one of the conference's most productive offenses. Through seven matches, the Lions have scored 14 goals while recording 97 shots, 44 shots on goal and 16 assists. North Alabama's 2.00 goals per match and 2.286 assists per match lead the conference, while its 13.86 shots per match rank second. 

The Lions' most recent match ended in a 1-1 draw against Chattanooga. North Alabama scored just 33 seconds into the match when Anna Fugarino found the back of the net, giving her the fastest goal in program history during the Division I era. Chattanooga answered later in the first half, and the Lions went on to earn their third draw of the season. Goalkeeper Emily Dorfman finished with five saves to help lead the Lions' defensive effort. The performance moved Dorfman to second in the UAC in goals-against average at 1.31, third in save percentage at .795, and fifth in both total saves with 35 and saves per match at 5.00. 

Looking at the numbers, North Alabama has generated 97 shots through seven matches, averaging 13.9 per contest, compared to West Georgia's 41 total shots and 5.9 per game. The Lions have also scored 14 goals for an average of 2.00 per match, while the Wolves have found the net three times for a .43 goals-per-game average. 

Defensively, however, the numbers show just how much the Wolves have leaned on their back line and Sanabria. West Georgia has recorded 59 saves through seven matches, averaging 8.43 per game, while North Alabama has 38 saves and averages 5.43. 

North Alabama's attack begins with Fugarino, who enters Thursday's matchup as the Lions' leading scorer with three goals and seven points. The junior midfielder has taken 12 shots this season, putting six on target. Fugarino recorded a brace against Tennessee Tech and earned UAC Player of the Week honors during the second week of the season.

Meg Welsh is another major offensive threat for the Lions. The sophomore forward has scored twice, recorded two assists, and recorded six points this season. On the defensive end, Avery Smith has started all seven matches and has played 583 minutes while recording two assists. Smith earned UAC Defender of the Week honors after helping North Alabama secure its first shutout of the season against Tennessee Tech, and she was also named to the preseason All-UAC team.

For West Georgia, Sanabria will once again be at the center of the defensive effort. The goalkeeper leads the UAC with 51 total saves and ranks first in saves per match after making 11 stops against Kennesaw State. Sanabria has already recorded two 12-save performances this season and has reached double figures in saves three times.

Rachel Higgins enters the matchup after scoring against Kennesaw State, while Isa Ramirez and Noemi Casique have also found the back of the net this season. The trio is tied for the team lead with one goal each. Kaylen Brown will also be a player to watch as West Georgia looks to generate more offensive opportunities. Brown has taken seven shots this season, second on the team, after scoring three goals as a freshman in 2025. 

Defensively, Kaialani Wise has been one of the Wolves' most consistent players. Wise leads West Georgia with 630 minutes played and has helped anchor UWG's back line throughout the opening seven matches. She is followed by senior Ava Maldonado, who has made five consecutive starts and has become a key piece of the Wolves' defense. 

Thursday night's matchup is scheduled for 6 p.m. at University Soccer Field. All UWG soccer matches are free admission, so fans are encouraged to come out and support the Wolves as they open UAC play. For those unable to attend in person, the match will be streamed live on ESPN+.