BUIES CREEK - Campbell (0-1-1) returns to Eakes Athletics Complex against Mount St. Mary's (1-2) at 3 PM on Sunday. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Zach Berly providing commentary..
LAST TIME OUT: Campbell - Elyssa Nowowieski scored the game-tying goal in the 54th minute, Reaghan Duval saved four shots and the Fighting Camels earned a 1-1 draw against unbeaten NC State on Thursday. Mount St. Mary's - Despite being outshot 13-3, Mount St. Mary's upended Davidson 1-0 on Elisabeth Rockhill's game-winner in the 62nd minute Friday.
SERIES HISTORY: Campbell is 2-0 all time against Mount St. Mary's as both programs meet for the first time since 2019. Former Camel and current professional player Katie Lockwood netted two goals in the 2019 matchup as Campbell earned a 3-0 victory.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: Mount St. Mary's holds a 1-2 record entering into Sunday's match with a win at Davidson and two overtime losses against Robert Morris and Radford. The Mountaineers return five players who earned All-NEC honors from last season's 4-5 squad including first team selection Elisabeth Rockhill.
PEABODY PRESEASON DPOTY: Junior defender Laney Peabody was named the 2021 Big South Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player in program history to receive such honors. Peabody joins former Camels and Big South Preseason Attacking Players of the Year Alexa Genas (2018) and Ashley Clark (2015) in earning preseason award honors.
2021 BIG SOUTH PRESEASON POLL: Campbell was voted 2nd in the Big South Preseason Poll, receiving two first-place votes, as voted on by the league's head coaches. High Point was slotted to finish 1st in the poll, receiving eight first-place votes while Radford, Longwood and Gardner-Webb were picked behind Campbell
TOP RANKED OFFENSE RETURNS: The Fighting Camels return 96% (25 of 26 goals) of its scoring from the 2020-21 season led by leading goal scorers Jessica Donald (7), Elyssa Nowowieski (4) and Cameron Turner (4). The Camels led the nation in corner kicks per game (10.69) while also ranking fourth nationally in shots per game (18.15), 10th in shots on goal per game (8.31) and assists per game (2.31), 21st in total assists (30) and 25th in points per game (6.31).
CAMELS RETURN SEVEN FROM ALL-BIG SOUTH TEAMS: Seven players from the 2020-21 All-Big South teams return for the 2021 season including first team honorees Jessica Donald, Laney Peabody and Cazzi Norgren second team honorees Elyssa Nowowieski, Emma Bushee and Amber Liston along with honorable mention selection Cameron Turner. Campbell also returns its program-record four United Soccer Coaches All-Region selections in Peabody (first team), Donald (second team) and Nowowieski & Norgren (third team).
HEAD COACH SAMAR AZEM: Azem enters her fifth season as head coach of the Fighting Camels (59-51-16 overall / 38-26-6 Big South). She successfully guided the Camels to a No. 22 team ranking by Top Drawer Soccer, their first Big South Championship since 1993, and the program's second-ever NCAA Tournament berth during the COVID-19 altered 2020-21 season.
