MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A brand-new campaign opens up for the Presbyterian College women's soccer team this Sunday afternoon, visiting Alabama State at 2:00 eastern time to kick off head coach Matt Smith's third season at the helm.

The first of eight non-conference matches for the Blue Hose, coach Smith's squad will begin a new season away from home for the first time since his debut year in 2024 (a 3-2 triumph at Wofford).

PC has encountered Alabama State seven times since their inaugural meeting in 2013, going 5-1-1 and shutting out the Hornets in each of their last three attempts.

Alabama State came to Martin Stadium last August and was pummeled by Presby 5-0. Then-sophomore Anna Hussey scored her first PC goal in the 78^th minute, while Maddi Merryweather and Emma Brown had one assist each.


 
GAMEDAY INFO – SUNDAY, AUGUST 16

Presbyterian (0-0) at Alabama State (0-1)

WHERE / WHEN: Montgomery, Ala. | 2:00 EST

WATCH: Hornet Sports Network

LIVE STATS: StatBroadcast


 
SCOUTING THE HORNETS

 
- ASU was in rebuild mode throughout the 2025 season, ultimately finishing 2-17-1 in head coach Alicia Wilson's first year.

- Presbyterian's five-point thrashing over Alabama State is tied for the second-largest margin of victory since the program jumped to the D-I ranks nearly two decades ago, one of 11 occasions last season where ASU was held without a goal.

- The Hornets have already played a full match before going up against the Scotsmen, losing to Southern Miss 4-0 on Thursday. Alabama State faced a 3-0 halftime deficit and was outshot 16-7 overall.

- PC's most recent trip to Montgomery was in 2022, a scoreless tie that saw the Blue Hose scatter eight shots-on-goal and seven corner kicks.


 
2026 PRESBY PREVIEW

 
- Smith will oversee a 2026 lineup that entails five returning starters and 10 true freshmen. PC hopes to improve upon a 1-6 record in road matches last year, ending the season with a total ledger of 3-10-3.

- Last week, five of Smith's student-athletes were selected as preseason Big South Players to Watch: forwards Emilia Lieber and Maddi Merryweather, defenders Sydney Stoner and Avery Kornafel, and midfielder Katelynn Ciolek.

- The Blue Hose have two rookie goalkeepers on the '26 roster (New Hampshire native Alexa Garcia and Ingeborg Blystad from Norway), joining junior Gracie Moulton who has appeared in seven career matches with five starts.

- Lieber, Lyla Chadd, Emma Brown, and Lucy Cartin will begin their final seasons on Sunday as the four seniors on Smith's unit.

- Chadd in particular has been a PC workhorse during her career, never missing an opportunity to start in 50 matches up to this point. She has played over 4,400 minutes, the most of anyone on the team.

- Presbyterian will tout a new-look offense this year after several departures due to graduation, headlined by Merryweather (two assists, one goal as a freshman last year), Lieber (six career points), and sophomore USC Upstate transfer Maddie Smith.