As Heath Hinz made save after save against Florida State, it became pretty clear that her South Carolina side would be quite tricky to beat. She dove left, darted right, and finished the day with 6 stops, helping her team cling on to a 0-0 tie to open the season.

The Gamecocks have only improved from there, racking up wins — while also snatching a respectable tie against Clemson. And as they head into conference play, they are among the presumptive favorites to capture an SEC crown. Those credentials will be tested against Alabama Thursday evening.

But there are further matchups in women's soccer to keep an eye on this weekend, with games in the ACC and one particularly intriguing nonconference tie to keep an eye on. Here’s a rundown of the best five to watch.

Thursday, September 15

South Carolina at Alabama, 7 p.m (SEC Network)

South Carolina has been as solid as expected to open the 2022 season and have only conceded three goals so far. The Gamecocks are anchored by one of the nation’s best goalies in Hinz, who has already posted some top performances to snag draws and hold on to narrow wins. At the other end, though, the Gamecocks have been a little inconsistent. Catherine Barry has been a handful when involved, but South Carolina will need other goalscorers to chip in. Its opponent Friday perhaps has the opposite problem. The tandem of Riley Parker Mattingly and Felicia Knox has been devastating thus far, helping the Tide to wins over Clemson and BYU. But there have been some defensive lapses, which could be punished in big games.

Notre Dame at Clemson, 7 p.m. (ACC Network)

Clemson’s season has been marked by inconsistency so far. There have been big wins over Campbell and West Virginia, supplemented by ties with South Carolina and Texas A&M. But a big loss to Alabama exposed some real flaws in the Tigers’ back line. Since then, they have tightened things up, keeping two clean sheets in a row. That defense be put to the test against a rampant Notre Dame side that has scored multiple goals in all of its contests so far. The Irish overcame their first real test of the season back on August 25, beating a tough St. Louis(w) side on the road. They will look to do it again Thursday evening in South Carolina.

Friday, September 16

Arkansas at Mississippi State (SEC Network+)

Mississippi State has been one of the surprise performers of the season so far, going undefeated through its first eight games. It has done so on the back of a sturdy defensive unit that allows just four shots per game. Most of the attacking production has come from Maggie Wadsworth, who heads into Friday’s contest having scored in her previous two appearances. Arkansas, meanwhile, is enjoying a fine run of form, winning four of its last five after dropping its season opener. There have been some vital results in there, including wins over Oklahoma and Michigan State as well as a road tie against BYU. This intriguing SEC contest is certainly one to keep an eye on. 

Saturday, September 17

Virginia at UNC(w), 6 p.m, (ACC Network Xtra)

This seems a pivotal game for Virginia. The Hoos are yet to lose and have won seven of their first eight games. There have been some big wins, including thrashings of Memphis and Oregon State. They’ve also grinded out a couple of victories, highlighted by a 1-0 win at Georgetown. UNC, meanwhile, has settled into the season nicely without beubg perfect. It outplayed Duke, Tennessee and Texas, but dropped points against UCLA. Still, Anson Dorrance has a wealth of tools at his disposal — the kind of flexibility that can win any game. This is a massive clash between two teams that will both feel they have a shot at ACC supremacy.

Sunday, September 18

UCLA at Pepperdine, 4 p.m. (WCC Network)

The Bruins have racked up the wins to start the season, maintaining a perfect record through their first six gmes. Head coach Margueritte Aozasa  has the team flowing smoothly, and appears to have gotten the best out of Rilyn Turner and Sunshine Fontes. But Pepperdine has started well, too, racking up the goals. It has yet to be seriously tested — the Waves should have won their home contest against LSU — but might give the Bruins a really hard time at home. The result could come down to the form of Pepperdine's Carlee Giammona. She’s scored five goals so far this year — and will look to add more.