Nov. 2, 2006

ABILENE, Texas - For the fourth straight season, Hardin-Simmons will host the American Southwest Conference Tournament this weekend at the HSU Soccer Complex.

The ninth-ranked Cowgirls, who lead the nation in scoring, come in to the tournament as one of the favorites. HSU has an 82-game regular-season unbeaten streak against teams from the American Southwest Conference.

HSU is led by one of the most potent 1-2 scoring punches in the nation. Freshman Amy Kuykendall is third in the nation in scoring with 68 points on 25 goals and a school-record 18 assists. Whitney Piendak is fourth in the nation with 65 points on a school-record 27 goals and 11 assists.

The Cowgirls received a first round bye and will play the winner of fourth-seeeded Mississippi College (13-5-0) and fifth-seeded LeTourneau (10-7-2) at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Texas Lutheran (13-5-0) enters the tournament as the No. 3 seed and the Bulldogs will play sixth-seeded East Texas Baptist (11-6-2) in the first round on Friday at 11 a.m. The winner of the game will play second-seeded Texas-Dallas (13-3-2) on Saturday at 2 p.m.

The ASC title and NCAA Tournament berth will be on the line on Sunday in the final at 1 p.m.

The HSU Soccer Complex is off of Grape Street behind the Softball Field and next to the Doc Beasley White Horse Barn. Admission for the tournament will be $5 for adults and $2 for students.