SURPRISE, ARIZ.- OUAZ's women's soccer team has faced increasingly tougher competition in its first three games. Now, the team will face the toughest challenge of this young season.

The Spirit hit the road this Friday and Sunday to play a pair of Oregon schools. They play Warner Pacific on Friday and Corban University on Sunday. These will be the first two games away from Spirit Field in 2019.

The first road trip can be tough, especially for a young team like OUAZ. Head coach Skelly Kellar has a motto he wants his team to adopt early.

"'Steel before style'," Kellar said. "You have to bring the steel before you let the style come through."

Early season road trips can help a team bond together as they make their way toward the conference area of the schedule. It can be especially important for a team that has added many new players just like the Spirit have.

"This is a good opportunity for the groups to mesh," senior midfielder Keana Barrow said. "Hopefully it will benefit us on the field."

THIS WEEK FOR WOMEN'S SOCCER
The Spirit open the road portion of their schedule with a pair of games in Oregon this weekend. On Friday, they take on Warner Pacific in Portland at 6:00pm. On Sunday, OUAZ will travel over to Salem to take on Corban at
11:00am

HOW TO FOLLOW
The broadcast and live stats for the game against Corban University can be found at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/corban/.

AGAINST THE OPPOSITION
Friday's meeting will be the first between OUAZ and Warner Pacific.

The Spirit dropped the 2018 season opener to Corban 3-2 on August 18.

NOTABLE QUOTABLE
"Once (the ball) is in the air, I'm trying to read it the best I can, and if it's out, it's out as far as possible." – Sophomore goalkeeper Krysten Caballero, about having to make the big saves she has had to make in the past two games.

SPIRIT NOTES
The Spirt lost only one true road game last season, posting a record of 3-1-2.

OUAZ has scored 17 goals in its first three games, tied for second most in the NAIA.

The Spirit have had 14 different players find the back of the net this season. Graduate midfielder Sarah Inafuku leads the team with three goals.

This is the program's first trip to Oregon. Last season's game against Corban was played on a neutral site in Everett, WA.

UP NEXT
The Spirit will return home next Thursday to take on Embry-Riddle. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30pm.