Sunday, September 25
Warhawks Move to 3-0 for First Time in League Play
Jonesboro, Ark. – The ULM Soccer team used a second half goal from freshman Mia Walters to give the Warhawks their third straight victory over a Sun Belt Conference opponent with a 1-0 win against Arkansas State on Sunday afternoon.
THE TURNING POINT
In the 69th minute, Cke’Lana Caesar played the cross into the box and Walters deflected it in and off the post to give the Warhawks the difference maker in the match 1-0.
NOTABLES
-The Warhawk win gives them three in a row in SBC play. This marks the first time since joining the SBC that the Warhawks have had a three-game win streak in Sun Belt play.
-Brooke-Lynn Scroggins had three saves in the match but with the shutout (her fifth solo shutout of the season) she moved into a tie for second in ULM Soccer history. Her five shutouts tie her with Rachel Marcom and Mallory George for the second-most by a Warhawk keeper in a season.
-Mia Walters became the second straight Warhawk to score their first career goal this weekend. Alexiss Trudeau buried her first career goal in Friday’s win against Little Rock.
-The Warhawks victory gives them just their second all-time win against the Red Wolves while the only other victory came on October 5, 2007 when they beat Arkansas State 5-1.
App State Draws GSU in Intense Battle
BOONE, N.C. — For the second time in as many matches, Appalachian State University women’s soccer played two overtimes and 110 minutes, drawing Georgia State 0-0 on Sunday afternoon. Junior goalkeeper Sam Steyl had five saves to complete the shutout.
The Mountaineers (5-5-2 (0-2-2 Sun Belt) fought in what might have been the most physical match thus far through the season, as neither App nor the Panthers (4-3-2 (1-1-2 Sun Belt) willingly conceded an edge.
“To get our first shutout in conference play is a really big deal,” head coach Sarah Strickland said. “We’ve started off with two tough weekends as far as level and where teams are ranked and everything else so we are definitely doing better and we’re a lot more positive and ready to go for sure going into next weekend.
Strickland continued, “Every Sun Belt match is intense and every Sun Belt match is a battle and Sunday is always a grind match as far as you’re going to have to give all you’ve got and give a little bit more than what you really think you have. That’s nothing surprising and nothing different than anyone else. All of these games are going to be tough and competitive from here on out.”
Both teams battled hard for every 50-50 ball in a drag-out match that featured 29 fouls and five yellow cards, including a second yellow (red) on the Panthers halfway through the second half at the 66th-minute mark.
The Mountaineers almost got the game-winner on a header by Lindsey Tully off a corner late in the second overtime, but a foul took away the goal.
Despite the lack of a goal, Appalachian State dominated possession through all 110 minutes, outshooting Georgia State 19-6 overall, and 7-5 on shots on goal.
Both goalkeepers were in top form playing the entire match. Georgia State’s Brie Haynes finished with six saves off 18 shots faced while Monique Hundley came in to make a clutch defensive save on what would have been a sure-fire Mountaineer goal.
The Mountaineers’ Steyl, finished with five saves on the game, facing six shots. It’s the fifth time that Steyl has had five or more saves this season.
Leading the Black and Gold attack that produced the fourth highest total number of shots this season was Jane Cline, who finished with five shots (three on goal), and Morgan Mosack, who finished with two shots (one on goal). Kelly Flanders put in a full game protecting the backline but was able to advance forward to finish with a shot on goal as well.
Providing high-energy and clutch performances off the sidelines was Alexa Asher and Sarah Peatross, who each finished with one shot on goal and two shots total.
The Mountaineers head on the road next weekend as they travel to Arkansas State on Friday, Sept. 30 at 4 p.m. ET. From Arkansas, App State will head to UL Monroe on Sunday, Oct. 2. Kickoff for the Sunday match is slated for 2 p.m. ET.
Georgia Southern Defeats Texas State at Home, 1-0
STATESBORO, Ga. – The Georgia Southern women's soccer team shut out the Texas State Bobcats on Sunday afternoon, clenching their first Sun Belt victory of the year. The Eagles defense dominated all game, holding a powerful Bobcat team to only six shots. Freshman goalkeeper Lauren Karinshak picked up her first shutout of her career between the pipes, while tallying four saves on the day. On the offensive side, the Eagles maintained possession throughout the majority of the game and continued to put pressure on the Bobcat defense. In the 51st minute, senior forward Jennifer Wittick lined up for a penalty kick - which was shot the past the Texas State goalkeeper and put the Eagles on the board. Wittick's goal proved to be just enough to propel GS to a win at Eagle Field, and the Eagles will look to carry the momentum into next weekend's home games against Coastal Carolina and Troy.
MATCH FACTS
Georgia Southern (4-6-1) - 1
Texas State (5-5-2) - 0
SCORING
51' - GS - Jennifer Wittick scores a penalty kick into the top right of the goal, putting the Eagles up 1-0.
NOTES
- Freshman goalkeeper Lauren Karinshak (4-4-1) picked up her first shutout of her career for the Eagles.
- The Texas State Bobcats averaged 17 shots per game heading into Sunday's matchup, GS held them to 6.
- The Eagles out-shot the Bobcats, 8-6.
- Georgia Southern continues their home stretch at Eagle Field next weekend against Sun Belt opponents Coastal Carolina and Troy.
HEADER FROM GODFREY GETS SOCCER PAST LITTLE ROCK
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – An early goal from University of South Alabama soccer sophomore Hannah Godfrey (Thornton-Cleveleys, England) was the only score of the match, and the Jaguar defense recorded yet another clean sheet in a 1-0 victory over Little Rock Sunday afternoon.
The Jags win their sixth in a row – all via shutout – and move to 8-2-1 overall on the year and 3-0 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Trojans fall to 6-6 and 1-3.
"I thought the game started extremely well for us," USA head coach Graham Winkworth said. "In the first 25 minutes or so, we completely controlled it and moved the ball around extremely well, our movement off the ball was fantastic, we created a couple of good chances and were clinical on a set piece. But then I felt like we slowed the game down a little too much and allowed Little Rock back into the match somewhat. We got a little sloppy on defense. Fortunately, we were resilient enough to hold on and win the game."
Godfrey headed home a corner from sophomore Jemma Purfield (Cottingham, England) at 10:32. Purfield lifted her kick into the six-yard box and Godfrey deflected it in for her first goal of the season.
"That was good," Winkworth said. "Hannah got up well. She was man-marked on the corner kick, so she outjumped her defender and powered it home. I'm really happy that she managed to get herself on the scoresheet. She deserved that one because she's been playing so well at the back."
South Alabama extended their school-record clean sheet streak to six, holding Little Rock to eight shots total and just two on net. Freshman Justice Stanford (The Colony, Texas), in goal for all six consecutive shutouts, made two saves.
"I thought we were pretty solid," Winkworth stated. "We switched off mentally a few times in the game and allowed them to have a couple of decent opportunities. We have make sure that we maintain a high level of professionalism defensively as a team that we've shown up to this point. We were OK, but we know that we can play better defensively than we have done today."
Offensively, the Jaguars recorded 12 shots – seven on target – and had 12 corners to the Trojans' one. Purfield and junior Rio Hardy (Workington, England) had three shots and two shots on goal apiece. Hardy also hit the post in the 16th minute.
"I've been a little disappointed with our play in the final third," Winkworth said. "We have to work a little harder off the ball, but I also understand that it is extremely difficult when teams park the bus in front of the goal. It is tough to play against but at the same time we're getting used to that now and the more teams we play that do it, the better we'll become at playing against it.
"But I didn't feel like the result was really ever in too much question."
South Alabama completes its three-match road trip on Friday against Louisiana-Monroe at 4 p.m.
Sierra's Goal Helps Cajuns Defeat Troy, 3-2
Troy, Ala. – Erika Sierra scored in the 103rd minute to lead the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns soccer team to a 3-2 win over Troy in double overtime on Sunday at the Jesse H. Colley Track/Soccer Complex.
Louisiana (6-5-1, 2-1-1 SBC) scored first in the 18th minute on a goal by senior Yazmin Montoya, her fourth of the season, off an assist from senior Carly Ellender.
The Ragin' Cajuns took a 2-0 lead in the 21st minute on a goal by junior Ashleigh Cade.
"The first half we played really well," head coach Scot Wieland said. "I was very pleased. We played hard, we played disciplined and we played very well."
Troy (5-5-2, 1-1-1) answered in the 49th minute on a goal by Annabell Simpson, her first of the season.
The Trojans evened the score in the 77th minute on a goal by Nicole Harris. Haley Roberson was credited with the assist.
The teams remained tied at the end of regulation to force overtime.
Louisiana sophomore goalkeeper Cosette Morche recorded several key saves at the end of regulation and in the first overtime period.
"We weathered the storm in the second half," Wieland said. "Cosette came up really big and the defense all had to dig deep and they did."
Sierra took a short flick from Montoya off a throw in from Cade and headed the ball past Troy goalkeeper Mikki Lewis from the back post for the game-winner.
"Erika was exactly where she needed to be," Wieland said. "Her job is to have that far post covered and that's where the ball came right to her and she did her job."
Morche had five saves for the Cajuns while Lewis had five saves for the Trojans.
Louisiana will host Texas State on Friday, Sept. 30 in a 7 p.m. match at the Ragin' Cajuns Soccer/Track Facility.